A Seismic Mission
by Toomi
Summary: The Asgard give SG1 a chance to explore an abandoned goa'uld planet for technology. Not the mission that Jack or Hammond had in mind. Set in Season 7 before Heroes. Rated T for swearing in some chapters. Finally finished! Team fic, slight SJ angst.
1. Chapter 1

A Seismic Mission 

_AN:First Fanfic I wrote back in October 2006. Edited in August 2007. I've rated it T as there is swearing. Set in season 7 before Heroes so anything before that may be mentioned. I have to say that it will be AU as I may take several creative curves and I don't remember the team 'drifting apart' at this point. I will appreciate all reviews and as a new writer, constructive criticism is welcome as I can't get better on my own. This story was spell checked by me and could still contain errors. I apologize in advance if there are any. Please read and enjoy..._

**Disclaimer: Stargate is on my Christmas list and that's as close as I'll ever get to owning anything Stargate!**

He was bored. Tapping his pen on the desk over and over. Daniel actually stopped talking to glare at him. Jack shrugged an apology, put the pen down on the table, and Daniel continued. They'd already been sitting here for what felt like hours listening to Daniel prattle on about the planet and the potential uses it had. Teal'c raised an eyebrow as Jack picked up the pen absentmindedly and began tapping again.

They were sitting in the briefing room going over a proposed mission to an Asgard planet. Thor had communicated with them that the Asgard had an old goa'uld planet under their protection. The Asgard had scanned the planet and found no life signs but there was a possibility that technology had been left behind.

Teal'c grabbed the pen out of Jack's hand and General Hammond gave Teal'c a grateful look. Sam smirked at Jack. She was looking forward to this mission, as was Daniel. He was currently showing them the information about the planet that Thor had sent already. Jack forced himself to pay attention as Daniel was discussing the geography of the area around the stargate.

" As you can see from the display, the stargate is situated in what looks like a caldera. To the east..."

"Danny, caldera as in volcano?"

" Yes Jack, volcano. As far as we can tell this one is dormant or even extinct"

" Well, I'd rather find out before..."

" Sir, we're going to send out a UAV at daybreak on the planet and it will do some geothermal scans to see if there's any active volcanoes on the planet. Also with the information the Thor sent us we are able to determine the size and age of the caldera" Sam added. Looking towards General Hammond she added " I would also recommend that we send a team through to collect soil and rock samples so we can determine when the last eruption occurred and how frequent they are"

Daniel nodded his agreement with Sam's last statement. He wanted to get this mission started as soon as possible as Thor's information regarding the technology looked very intriguing. It looked like there was a temple and several abandoned villages , an archaeologist's paradise.

"How long would you need to determine if any technology was useful on the planet Major?" General Hammond inquired

"Sir, I wouldn't know until I had a look at what was there. We can see that the planet was abandoned but we don't know why. Thor told us that the Asgard are planning on using this planet as an outpost and wanted to give us a chance to search for anything that could be useful to us before they levelled the area. We are expecting another communication from Thor today which should provide us with more detailed maps and then we can better calculate the distance between the villages and the temple."

"Ok. Major have a UAV ready to go at 0900 and once the analysis is complete you may have a go. SG-1 you are dismissed" Daniel gathered up his papers and followed Teal'c out of the briefing room. Jack lingered behind

"Coming sir?"

"Ummm not right now Carter. Just going to have a chat with the General." With that Jack headed into General Hammonds office. Sam started to gather up her papers for the meeting and accidentally knocked her coffee mug over. Fortunately it was empty, but in the quick move to rescue it she'd dropped her papers and they'd scattered on the floor. Swearing under her breath she bent down to collect them and put them in some kind of order.

Meanwhile, Jack had gone in to talk to Hammond, but hadn't closed the door.

"General, Thor says this planet is uninhabited. Why send SG-1?"

"Jack, who would you send?"

" SG-7 sir. They're the science guys."

"Why not SG-1 Jack? You've got an archaeologist who can read many languages, a Jaffa who is knowledgeable of goa'uld technology and a brilliant scientist on your team. I can't think of a better team to send."

"Well sir, not meaning to be my usual insubordinate self, but this doesn't seem like a good use of my team. We've been doing a lot of these kind of missions lately. I know that Carter and Danny enjoy them. Why not send them with SG-7 and me'n Teal'c can join another team for a few missions. "

At this point Sam had finished picking up the last of her errant papers. She couldn't help overhearing the Colonel complaining about the mission. She smiled as he voiced his thoughts, in a few short words, on the last few missions. She remembered the last one where he complained the entire time and directed most of his negative comments towards Daniel who had been eagerly deciphering the base of every statue they'd come across. Due to the amount of statues, Daniel hadn't really taken any notice but the Colonel had made it very clear he was bored and wanted to go somewhere 'more interesting.' Normally she wouldn't mind the mundane missions but they had seen more than usual in the last few months. She was starting to wonder if she would remember how to use her weapon if she needed to anytime soon.

"Jack, we don't know what this planet is like yet. We only have the info that Thor sent us. If anyone goes through the gate to that planet, it's going to be SG-1 first, then we'll see about after."

"Ok sir. If everything checks out can we leave Carter and Daniel there with SG-7 to fiddle around?"

"As I said, we'll see. Why don't you go home for the night. You don't have to be here until we retrieve the information from the UAV. That should be at least 24hrs. Go home, get some rest Jack." There was a hint of impatience in his voice as he dismissed Jack.

"Ye'sir." Jack got to the office door just as Sam was leaving the briefing room. George, curious, asked him one more question before he left.

"Why are you so eager to head off with Teal'c and leave Major Carter and Dr. Jackson with SG-7?"

"Well sir, all that science stuff isn't for me and it feels like I'm only there to babysit." Jack paused reflecting that what he said could be quite rude. "I'm not useful to them and I feel like I'm getting in the way. I'm sure that Carter and Daniel would work quicker if I wasn't there interrupting them." With that Jack exited the office.

Sam had left in a hurry. She had heard the Colonels comment about baby sitting and almost ran out of the room fuming. She knew that he had not enjoyed the last few missions but didn't realise he saw them as baby stitting trips. True, nothing out of the ordinary had happened. No one had been injured and they had only run across one village of very friendly people in the last 4 missions. But still, SG-1 was a team. Sam couldn't imagine a different team to work with. They all had their quirks but she felt they were the closest team on the base.

Wandering into her lab she reflected on the other teams. Most of them had undergone major changes. SG-1 was the only team with all 4 original members. They'd had their times when they weren't together, as when Daniel had ascended. She'd been worried about the team dynamics then, especially Colonel O'Neill and his reluctance to allow Jonas onto the team. Happily Daniel had returned to human form after a year away and the team 'gelled' one again. In the years they'd worked together, they'd come to know how each other worked in the field and in her opinion it made them a better team. She knew without looking who would be watching her six and they could almost communicate with each other without words in certain situations. Yes they had their bad share of missions but always made it through together.

She remembered something her father once said. Working with a close team was like being married except being married to many people at once. Marriages went two ways: to divorce or long and meaningful. The odds were against their team to stay in their 'marriage'. Recently she'd noticed that Daniel and herself were spending more time in their labs while Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c had spent their time in the gym or when not on the base, the colonel was showing Teal'c the 'sights'. Maybe they were starting to drift apart. Sometimes teams were shuffled slightly so members didn't get complacent. She hoped that if time apart was what they needed, it wouldn't be permanent and that they would beat the odds.

Meanwhile General Hammond was having similar thoughts sitting in his office. He knew that Jack voiced his opinions quite freely around him and usually didn't mind. Lately Jack had been doing a fair amount of it and it was starting to get on his nerves. George knew he gave Jack a great deal of freedom and felt that Jack respected him more because of it. Lately he had noticed the team appeared to be drifting apart and just assumed that it was due to the stress and unusual jobs they were required to do. It was nothing that warranted much concern for his front line team and he had given them some easier missions as a chance to relax a little more and loose some of the stress.

In the past year, they'd had some unnerving missions. Dr Jackson had been 'possessed' with multiple personalities. They'd run into Anubis's new supersoldiers, had Dr. Jackson kidnapped on Earth, the supersoldiers had discovered the Alpha site and Major Carter was almost killed. Not so much drifting apart but they were starting to go different ways, yet the changes were so subtle that he doubted that they knew what was happening.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. SG-1 was his flagship team. They'd done the impossible many times over and lived to tell many interesting tales. He'd seen teams drift and suffer the consequences before. The stress of going through the stargate was different than normal combat and he knew that SG-1 had handled it quite well as a team before. He had hoped that a few missions without every one's lives on the line would help get them all back to where they were a few months ago but apparently that hadn't happened.

His eyes glanced over a memo from the President. It was informing him of a reporter who was going to do a documentary of the stargate program to be archived until the program went public. The reporter, who after signing the confidentiality agreement, had read several mission files and was requesting to speak with SG-1 specifically. George wanted SG-1 to be a little more relaxed as he suspected that this could get stressful. The reporter wasn't arriving for another month and he hoped that that would be enough time. If SG-1 didn't figure things out soon he would be forced to shuffle the team. He wasn't going to allow that to happen until he'd tried everything he could.


	2. Chapter 2

Sam headed back to her lab, intending on getting a few hours of work done before trying to grab a few hours of sleep. She glanced at her watch and was surprised that it was only 1700. She had plenty of time. Unfortunately her brain had different ideas about what to do with that time. Her mind kept wandering back to Colonel O'Neill's comment about baby sitting Daniel and herself on missions. Was that just his frustration talking or was there something else behind his mask? She knew that he enjoyed saving the day, after he had saved it and everyone was safe and home. Recalling the last few briefings, she could see the flash of chagrin on his face every time Daniel started talking about yet another destination with no goa'uld, no people to rescue, nothing that would interest him. Why was General Hammond sending them on these missions, not that Daniel and herself minded them, but the Colonel was getting visibly frustrated. She sighed and checked her watch... 1800. Damn, where was the time going?

"Hey, can I come in?"

"Hi Daniel, sure."

"Trying to get some work done?"

"Yeah, trying being the operative word. Can't seem to concentrate right now."

"Hungry? I'm just heading down to the commissary for some supper. Wanna come? "

"Sure"

As Sam and Daniel exited the elevator they spotted Teal'c heading in the same direction.

" Major Carter, Daniel Jackson"

" Hi Teal'c. Supper time? Me and Sam where just heading in for a bite."

"I am also in need of sustenance. Any word from the Asgard yet Major Carter?"

" No. I think it will take a few hours until they have completed the scans and send them to us. Have you seen Colonel O'Neill?"

"I have not but I believe he left for the night. An airman in the locker room mentioned that he seemed displeased." With that Teal'c continued to load up his tray of food as Sam and Daniel sat down.

"Daniel. Have you noticed Colonel O'Neill acting... strange lately?"

"Strange as in stranger than usual?"

" Well, yes. I mean no. Uh...different, you know. Off world."

"He did seem a little testy on the last mission. I just assumed it was the amount of trees"

"I have also noticed his disgruntlement Major Carter. I did not see any reason why O'Neill would act this way,' added Teal'c finally joining them.

Conversation died down as the three teammates ate, each contemplating what the other had said. Daniel suddenly asked if Jack had said anything to Sam that would make her bring this up. Sam looked down at her half finished supper and replied that he had not said anything to her. It was true she rationalized. He hadn't said anything to her directly. What else could she say? Daniel started to stare at Sam and she could see his next question forming in his mind. Suddenly Dr. Felger barged through the commissary doors and headed directly for her table.

"We've got it. All the scans. They've sent us detailed maps of the villages, plate tectonics of the planet, and..."

"Whoa, slow down. Let me finish and I'll be up in a few minutes." Felger scuttled off and Sam gratefully stood up, said good night and headed off to her lab, where she was sure Felger would be.

A few hours later Daniel entered Sam's lab to find her sitting in front of her laptop, large maps scattering the desk, her head in her hands and her eyes unfocused. She started when he coughed.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you. Are you busy? Need a hand?"

"Oh, yeah sure, um, here." Sam handed Daniel a few maps showing the villages and the temple. Daniel glanced at them briefly before turning his attention back to Sam. Ever since she'd made that comment at supper he'd been curious as to why she'd ask such a question. Sam looked up from her laptop and saw Daniel had his question face on.

"Sam, what made you ask that at supper?"

"No reason. Just wondering. "

" There had to be a reason, why bring it up otherwise?"

" Have you noticed the Colonel's behaviour lately? I mean, have you noticed any changes?"

Daniel thought about the question carefully. Had he noticed anything? Jack was being unusually grumpy and sometimes snarky but that happened sometimes. It usually blew over in a few days. Then again, how long had it been this time? Longer than a few days. Today was probably one of the few times that Jack had left the base without saying a farewell to his teammates.

"But Sam, why now? What made you ask" Daniel persisted.

Sam told him what she'd overheard in the briefing room. Daniel was a little surprised. He knew Jack would speak before he thought sometimes, well, most of the time, but he'd never heard of Jack complaining of baby sitting his own team.

"So he didn't say anything directly to you?"

"No, but he left tonight without saying anything to anyone. That's unusual"

"Wait until tomorrow. He got to go home, relax, have a beer, sleep in his own bed. I'm sure he'll be in a better mood tomorrow."

Sam gave Daniel a grateful smile and the two of them started pouring over the maps planning out areas for the UAV to scan the following day.

At 0900 the UAV was launched. It sent back similar readings to the information they had recieved the night before. Jack finally joined his team in the briefing room several hours later and they started to discuss the proposed mission. It was determined that SG-1 would go through the gate, plant seismometers around the gate and take samples of the soil and rocks. "Ok. What time do we head out then sir?" asked Jack

"Major, what information do you have about the planet?" inquired General Hammond.

"Well Sirs, the planet is about the size of Pluto in our own solar system so it's about a tenth the size of Earth. It's day is approximately 18 hours and the stargate is on the 'night' side right now. In a few weeks, it's day will be the same time as ours but only for a short period of time. We estimate that sunrise will occur in 5 hrs, It's rotation around it's star is quite slow though. A year is probably about 3 or 4 of our years. Given the data we received from Thor, we can assume that it is currently experiencing a season similar to our spring. From the aerial photos from the UAV it appears that the caldera is lopsided and is partial submerged into a body of water. There appears to be forests, beaches, caves, and open plains. The atmosphere is very similar to Earth's yet there is less carbon dioxide and slightly more oxygen and trace amounts of an unidentified gas. The Asgard research confirms that the planet is suitable for long term human habitation. The area around the gate seems fairly barren, mostly sand and rocks. About 3 miles away is where the vegetation begins. "

"Is it safe Carter?"

"The Asgard seem to believe it will be safe for them to set up a short term research base. However their technology is so far advanced compared to ours they may have a way of sensing earthquakes and eruptions with enough accuracy to evacuate the planet, or shields capable of withstanding such catastrophes. We need to set up our equipment and take some readings for a few days to determine the tectonic activity, if there is any. We can use those days to analyse the samples we bring back to determine some of the history of the area."

"You said the caldera was extinct. It should be ok though, right?" queried Daniel. Volcanology was not something he could recall ever dealing with.

"With the information we currently have, I couldn't say if the caldera was extinct. Volcanologists will rarely label any volcano extinct unless they have an overwhelming lack of activity for a great period of time. Most volcanoes are merely dormant, and can stay that way for thousands of years. "

"Major Carter, is there a way to determine if a volcanic event could occur?"

Sam blinked at Teal'c. She wondered if he had seen a volcano, active or dormant. She couldn't recall him mentioning anything to do with natural catastrophes on any planet he had been to. Then again, there could be thousands of planets which didn't possess the interior makeup required to produce such geological phenomena. Even in our own solar system, Earth was the only planet to have plate tectonics which caused earthquakes and volcanoes today.

"We could, but it would take more time due to the size of the caldera and extensive research."

"How big we talkin here Carter?" Jack looked impatiently around the group as he asked his question, hoping that no one was going to suggest that extensive study of the area was going to be required.

"The majority of the caldera is under water but the outer rim on land is approximately 22 miles by 30 miles." Sam paused as all eyebrows raised several inches. She hastened to add, " Sir, the Yellowstone caldera is approximately 34 miles by 44 miles and is not the largest on this planet."

"Yellowstone! I've been there, didn't see any volcanoes though. A lot of hot water and bad smells though."

"You wouldn't notice it unless you knew what to look for sir. A caldera forms when a volcano erupts and then collapses upon itself creating a 'crater'. The last large volcanic eruption in Yellowstone occurred 640, 000 years ago so the noticeable features have had time to erode and support vegetation. It's still active as evident by the geysers and frequent micro-earthquakes, but no where near active enough to produce another massive eruption any time soon. It is safe enough that thousands of people visit every year. Yellowstone was an explosive caldera."

"Ok SG-1. I think I've heard all I need to hear. You have a go for P2K 458. Be ready at 1800 hrs. Dismissed." General Hammond headed into his office as SG-1 gathered their belongings and headed out of the briefing room Jack seemed so eager to leave as he was practically running down the stairs and was out of their sight in a few moments. Sam sighed and met Daniels eyes. So much for his better mood.


	3. Chapter 3

At 1750 Daniel, Teal'c and Sam were waiting at the foot of the gate ramp for their departure and Jack. Usually he was one of the first ones to arrive, checking with his experienced eyes that his team was geared up and ready to go. On longer missions, those that required more supplies and shared through the team, Jack usually went through a list of the basics with his team to make sure that everyone had what was needed, and unnecessary items were left behind. None of them wished to mention Jacks absence so as not to draw attention to it. As General Hammond's face appeared in the control room, the door slid back to reveal Jack sporting a grimace which Daniel assumed to be an attempt at a smile. The gate swung into action and as the chevrons were called out, Jack strolled over to his team doing a quick scan of everyone. The MALP headed through the gate first. Walter, after checking the MALP telemetry, gave General Hammond a small nod an the General announced,

"SG-1, you have a go. If you have not returned or made contact in 24 hrs your iris codes will be locked out of the computer. Good luck."

Jack turned to the others and smirked.

"Ok kids. Let's get this over and done with," and marched towards the event horizon. Sam shrugged at Daniel as Teal'c followed O'Neill.

" Alright then. Short and sweet, just what the Colonel ordered.." muttered Daniel under his breath as he too followed the others through the gate.

Stepping off the steps leading to the stargate, Sam took a quick glance at the area. Looking at the ground she saw what resembled coarse black sand which covered a large area around the gate. She dashed to catch up with Colonel O'Neill.

"Carter?"

"Sir, I don't see any footprints in the sand. Either wind covered them up or no one has been here for a while."

"Good. You and Danny go collect rocks. We'll wait here and guard the gate. Check in every half an hour... How long is this going to take?"

"Daniel and I have to head over to where the sand ends. There's two areas we wanted to get samples from. One is towards the temple where it's closer to the caldera ridge, and the other is in the opposite direction near the water. I'm guessing it's a 1 hr walk to each. If you are volunteering to help, it would be appreciated and would cut our time out here in half. " Sam hoped he would offer to help. It would cut the time she and Daniel traipsed around in half and she hoped he would feel useful and not as bored.

"Ok. What do I do.?"

Sam explained to Colonel O'Neill what he could do to help and they agreed to meet back at the gate in 2 hrs. Teal'c and O'Neill headed off towards the water as Sam sauntered over to Daniel, who was gaping at her.

"What did you say to him? You're letting him help! Why would he do that? What did you ask him to do?"

"I explained that it would take the two of us several hours to collect the samples needed and if we split the work in half we would be done and home much quicker. I'm letting him help as then we don't have to listen to him ask us if we're done for the next 4 hrs. I asked him to head to the water, get some water samples and collect some sand and small rocks along the way. I'm not going to question that he is doing it, I'm just grateful that he is doing something. Can we head out now? I would like to be back here before him."

Sam grinned at Daniel and the two set off.

* * *

"Holy shit. Teal'c. You seein this?"

"I am O'Neill. It appears to be a vast lake." came the Jaffa's dry response. He had endured O'Neill's continual complaining for the past hour as they had treked through sand, grass and a forest that seemed to become more and more dense with every yard. He himself had travelled in silence allowing O'Neill to express his discontent hoping that it would help relieve his mood of late. They had only stopped on their trek when O'Neill had put his foot in a small hollow covered by leaves and branches, and shortly later when O'Neill had caught the same foot on a branch. On both occasions Teal'c had prevented him from doing an unspectacular face plant by grabbing his vest. This was the first time O'Neill had shown any interest or excitement on the current mission. Jack turned around to smirk at Teal'c's concise analysis of the view.

"Look how big this is. I can't see the other side. Did Carter mention an ocean T?"

"No. I do not recall that she did."

"Wonder if it's got any fish?" Jack mused as he pulled out his binoculars and scanned the shore. "Hey, I think there's caves over there. I'm guessing another hour walk or so."

While O'Neill continued to enjoy the sights, Teal'c collected a sample of water, sand and a few smaller rocks. He added them to the small pack and turned to face the lake.

"O'Neill, if we wish to return to the stargate before Major Carter and Daniel Jackson we should probably depart soon."

"Yeah. Alright, lead on." The look of contentment on O'Neills face turned to disappointment. They headed off back into the forest.

Meanwhile Sam and Daniel had finally reached what appeared to be their destination. Using Sam's modified GPS uploaded with the maps from Thor, they had been able to select areas they wished to collect samples from before heading off world. They had five points of interest and were finally at the last one. Sam glanced at her watch and grimaced. They'd taken longer than planned to get here yet she didn't want to rush in collecting the samples and risk contaminating them or missing something.

The trek had been mostly uphill at a steady yet small grade. There had been a few sharp climbs and unfortunately the trees had blocked any chance of a view. Going down should be easier and quicker, providing neither of them fell or tripped. Daniel was disappointed as he was hoping to see some signs of the previous inhabitants as they had followed what appeared to be a very overgrown trail. They had found nothing to indicate who else might have once lived here.

Come to think of it, thought Sam, they'd heard or seen nothing that would indicate any life other than vegetation. No bugs, animals, and the only noise, besides the ones they were making, was the sound of the wind blowing through the trees which wasn't a comforting sound. These trees looked similar to an oak tree by they way it grew, but remarkably like a pine tree in the shape of the leaves. When the wind blew through the leaves it didn't make the soothing sound it did on Earth, more like an irritating snapping sound. Daniel had inadvertently figured out why. As he brushed by an overhanging branch, several of the leaves had snagged his upper arm. The needle like leaves had torn through his jacket and into his skin and held him there. Sam had to cut through the small branch to free Daniel and then tended to his wounds.

It appeared that the 'leaves' had a hard, almost spike like tip to them, which had an uncommonly keen edge. As Daniel had walked past the leaves, the spike had caught on his jacket and as he continued to walk, cut through his jacket and skin. The wounds were not deep and Sam assumed that the jacket had stopped most of the damage. Nonetheless, Daniel had carefully retrieved some leaves and stored them in a plastic container to take back for analysis.

The strange sound from the wind in the trees appeared to come from the tips of the tough leaves hitting and catching each other. Getting ready for the hike back, Sam checked Daniel's arm. It had stopped bleeding soon after a bandage had been applied, but they had no idea of what chemicals could be on the tree and how it would react to humans. Daniel figured that he was the luckier one to get 'attacked' by the tree as he always carried antihistamines with him. They headed back towards the gate speculating on what sort of artifacts and pieces of technology they could recover here.

At the 2 hour mark, their radios buzzed into life with the voice of Colonel O'Neill.

"Carter, Daniel, come in."

"Yes sir."

"How far away are you from the gate?"

"We've just passed onto the black sand Sir. Should be there in about 15 min."

"Ok. Did you check out the horizon?" Sam looked puzzled and glanced behind her, where the star had risen several hours ago and caught her breath. There was a smaller planet or moon rising and it looked close. The sky on P2K 458 was blue like Earth's but a deeper shade. The object on the horizon was a deep purple with shades of an exceptionally vivid red.

"Wow. Sir, when did that appear?"

"About 10 min ago. See you in 15. O'Neill out."

Sam and Daniel paused for a few minutes to gaze at the beauty of the celestial body and continued on their way.

"Jack sounded like he was in a better mood. Wonder what Teal'c did?"

Sam giggled as she envisioned Teal'c sending the Colonel into a time out until his bad mood passed. Daniel looked at her inquiringly but all he got was a smile and a shake of her head in return.

"Hey kids. Find anything interesting?" The Jack that greeted Sam and Daniel was a different Jack that had left the gate seveal hours earlier. He was smiling and looked genuinely interested. Daniel shot Teal'c a puzzled look, but all Teal'c did was bow his head slightly in their direction.

"Not much Sir. Just a tree that liked Daniel a tad too much." Daniel glared at Sam and then hastened to explain what had happened before Sam did. After hearing his explanation, Jack turned to Sam with a smile and indicated towards the MALP. They had to unload and set the seismometers before heading back home. Teal'c grabbed the shovel while Sam and Jack picked up the equipment. Daniel used Sam's GPS to determine what locations to set the sensitive earthquake readers. Jack appeared to enjoy himself, especially when it came to testing that they were operational. It involved him jumping up and down repeatedly to create a jolt in the ground as Sam checked the readings. Two hours later, with all tasks complete, they headed back home.

"Welcome back SG-1. After you've visited the infirmary and showered please report to the briefing room at 2400." Walter's voice greeted them as they relinquished their weapons to the personnel in the gate room. Jack looked at Sam in surprise. He hadn't expected it to be that late. He'd looked at his watch several times during the mission but due to the daylight and the fact that he felt quite awake, it hadn't registered that it was close to midnight at the base. Sam shrugged her shoulders and headed down to see Janet.

The second Janet cleared her, Sam made a dash for the showers. It appeared that there was a fair amount of dust on P2K 458 and the black sand had gotten everywhere. She had scratched her nose earlier in the mission and Daniel had failed to mention that she had been sporting a black smear ever since. She had left as the Colonel was muttering something about a branch, a hole and how it was all Teal'c's fault. As she soaked in a hot shower she got her thoughts in mind for the post mission briefing. She recalled the brilliant view of the horizon that Colonel O'Neill had informed her of... thinking of which. What had happened? Why had his mood changed. He had been on another 'mundane' mission where he got to hike for 2 hours, collect samples and wait at the gate for her and Daniel to show up. Usually he would've been grousing about the wait, the trees, the bugs, lack of any wildlife, pretty much anything he could complain about. What had Teal'c done? Most importantly would his change of attitude stick?

Daniel sprinted up to the briefing room just after midnight. He had been delayed by Janet in the infirmary while she tried to do every test possible on his wound. He'd gone to the locker room to find it deserted. Jack and Teal'c had left the grasp of Janet half an hour before he had. Daniel grinned to himself remembering Jack trying to explain a bruise on his shoulder and a swollen ankle. Every time Jack had tried to explain the situation, Teal'c had opened his mouth to say something with one eyebrow raised, then Jack had changed his story again. Eventually Jack admitted he'd tripped twice. Daniel had to rub it in. The days when Jack admitted he was injured were far and few between, and even then he'd injured himself being the hero, getting shot at or something of the like, but tripping twice and having Teal'c save him. The look on Jack's face as he admitted that was priceless. Daniel wondered if he could get his hands on the tape from the infirmary.

He barged into the briefing room, apologized to Hammond, and took a seat next to Jack. He noticed that both Jacks boots were on and there was no sight of crutches. Janet had not let him leave the infirmary until she had wrapped his ankle and set crutches to fit him. The wrapped ankle had been too bulky to fit in his boot so Teal'c had carried Jack's boot out of the infirmary as Jack had walked out using his crutches. Jack noticed what Daniel was looking at and sent him a glare that clearly stated to Daniel to keep his mouth shut. Daniel grinned and turned to listen to Sam as she went over their little adventure. The briefing ended shortly after it had started as it was very late and everyone started yawning. Hammond dismissed SG-1 and exited the room. Sam, Daniel and Teal'c made to follow him when Sam noticed Jack still seated in his chair.

"Sir, you can't sleep here."

"I'm not planning on sleeping here Carter. Why sleep here when I've got a perfectly good bed in my quarters?"

"Ok sir, well, good night then." Carter couldn't help smiling as she headed into the Control Room. She knew exactly why the Colonel hadn't got out of his chair yet. A few minutes later Daniel clattered down the stairs to join her.

"What's with him?"

"Colonel O'Neill and I arrived at the briefing room at the same time. I asked him how it went with Janet and he scowled then muttered something about doctors not knowing what was over the top meant. When Teal'c arrived he took one look at him and raised his eyebrow. The Colonel told Teal'c to keep his yap shut. Too bad that I saw them both heading to the men's locker room. Teal'c carrying a boot and the Colonel trying to co ordinate his crutches... I'm guessing that the ankle is hurting more than he cares to let on. Doesn't want to get up and prove Janet right."

Daniel snickered as Sam grinned ear to ear.

"Well I guess Jack is back. Seriously, I gotta chat to Teal'c. That guy's a miracle worker. What d'ya reckon he did to crosspatch Jack?"

"I have no idea. Not a clue. Maybe he fell into a better mood..."

"HEY TEAL'C," yelled Daniel. Teal'c, hearing Daniel's holler, gracefully wished O'Neill a good night and headed downstairs.

"Daniel Jackson. You required my presence?" As only a few people on this base probably hadn't heard Daniel's bellow, Sam started giggling at Teal'c's blandly stated comment.

"What did you do to Jack? His ill-temper was cured. How did you do it?"

"I did nothing. I am unsure who assisted O'Neill with his recovery."

"Come on Teal'c. You can tell us. This is important information and could save lives in the future."

"As I said, I did nothing. Major Carter, Daniel Jackson, I must retire. I will endevour to join you for breakfast."

With that said, Teal'c dipped his head and left two puzzled friends behind. Not hearing or seeing any sign of Jack joining them, Sam and Daniel headed off to their respective quarters. From the shadows no one noticed General Hammond sitting in front of a computer with a smile on his face. The bantering between the close friends and teammates had returned. Looks like whatever had happened with Jack was over. He finished the email he was working on and went to bed with a load off his mind.

* * *

She'd been trying to go back to sleep in for the past two hours. Thoroughly bored and starting to get hungry she admitted that no more sleep was going to happen this morning. 0700. What was the chance that the others were up? Her growling stomach demmanded that the first stop of the day was the commissary. At the elevator she joined Daniel who was so comatose she poked him to make sure he wasn't sleepwalking. Daniel opened one very heavy eyelid to give her a black look and promptly closed it. When the elevator doors opened he woke up enough to drag himself into the commissary and straight to the coffee. Sam grabbed a plate of nutritious breakfast foods and sat opposite Daniel who was already on to his second cup.

At Daniel's fifth cup the doors swung open to reveal Colonel O'Neill who stomped towards the cereals, turned around, and acknowledged Carter with a slight nod of his head. Daniel saw Sam smile and turned around to beckon Jack to sit with them. As most other tables were full or almost full, he headed towards them reluctantly. Sam's smile slipped off her face. Black Jack was back. Jack sat down without a word and immediately started in on his cereal without a word to either. Sam saw Daniel shrug as he poured another cup of coffee.

"Seen Teal'c yet Jack?"

"No", came the curt reply. Daniel's attempt at conversation was squashed flat. Never one to be easily deterred he tried again.

"He said he'd join us this morning and I figured he'd be the first one up."

Nothing.

"Sooooo... what do you have planned today Sam?"

"I'm going to assist Dr. Felger and his team in analysing some of the samples we brought back. I'm curious to see what results we get. We're going to see if we can radiometric date the rocks and hopefully determine when the volcano last erupted. I'm not sure if we can. We might have to go back to P2K 458 and collect more samples closer to the caldera ridge..."

Jack abruptly stood up, grabbed his half eaten bowl of cereal, dumped the rest out in the garbage, added his dirty bowl to the pile of others and strode out the doors. Daniel blinked in surprise at the doors swinging back and forth.

"Who pissed in his cornflakes?" Murmured Sam.

Daniel's only reaction was to pour himself another cup of coffee.


	4. Chapter 4

Jack sauntered into the briefing room and he took a quick peek through the window into the office and saw Dr Frasier sitting down with General Hammond. Damn. What was she here for? He'd been informed that the General wished to see him by an airman who was anxious to deliver the message and disappear back to his post. Jack dropped into a chair eager to be sitting. While his ankle didn't look too bad it hurt like a son of a bitch. Even with the pain, he thought Janet's insistence of crutches was being a little too over dramatic. He hadn't even sprained it fer cryin out loud. He lounged in the chair mulling over the thoughts that ran through his brain. He barely noticed the door to Hammonds office opened and Janet leave. He stood up and entered the office slowly feeling that this little meeting was not a good thing.

"Jack. Have a seat."

"What can I do for you Sir?"

"I've just received the medical report from yesterday's mission. Dr Frasier brought up the fact that she gave you crutches and ordered you to stay off your ankle, yet you have been seen wandering around the base without your crutches."

"Sir, the crutches weren't necessary. Ol Doc Frasier was just giving me a hard time. My ankle is fine. I'm fine. Better than fine. Just anxious to go on the next mission." Jacks voice started to rise.

"Jack. You know as well as I do that I can't allow personnel to go through the gate injured.."

"I'm not injured Sir. I'm fine," interrupted Jack. His voice going up another notch.

"Not according to Dr. Frasier's report. She wants you to stay off your ankle for a few days to allow it to heal and reduce the risk of causing a more serious injury. Wouldn't you insist that members of your team do the same?"

"Sir. That's not the same. I'm not injured. I'm fine. See.." With that, Jack started unlacing his boots to show Hammond his ankle. General Hammond wanted to put a stop to this. He'd heard the rumours of Jacks behaviour towards his team this morning. He had been hoping they were exaggerated. Obviously they had not been.

"Jack. Stop. I don't need to see your ankle. I'm going with Dr. Frasier on this one. You are on standby for a few days until Dr. Frasier clears you for active duty. Take this time to relax and..."

"WHAT! You're putting SG-1 on standby? Why? That's ridiculous. General I..." Jack was practically yelling at this point

"Colonel O'Neill. Let. Me. Finish." General Hammond's patience was starting to wear thin. He didn't want to start shouting at Jack otherwise there'd be a bigger problem. "SG-1 is on standby as Major Carter has requested some time to assist Dr. Felger in analysing the samples collected on your recent mission. Daniel has offered to assist her and Teal'c is heading out with SG-3 in a few hours, on a mission to a planet that has recently suffered a goa'uld attack. I suggest you use the next few days to relax at home and reflect on your behaviour of the past few weeks."

"My recent behaviour! General..."

"Jack. In the past few weeks you have been grouchy and short tempered. When you returned from P2K 458 your temperament had improved. You need to figure out whatever it is that is bothering you and do something about it. Check in with Dr. Frasier in two days. That's all. Dismissed."

Jack stomped out of the office. General Hammond put his head in his hands. What was going on? Why the mood changes? Dr. Frasier could find no medical reason for the mood swings. She had however, nervously suggested that Jack speak to Dr. Mackensie. He hoped it wouldn't come to that. He knew that having a conversation with Jack O'Neill about seeing a psychiatrist would go over worse than this discussion had.

* * *

Sam had received some of the preliminary results of the radiometric analysis of the sand surrounding the gate via an email from Dr. Felger. She was alone in her lab with the door open a crack and only the small desk lamp and the light from her laptop screen to light the room. She heard voices heading her direction but didn't recognize the speakers. She paused as Colonel O'Neill's name was mentioned.

"Did you see him leave? He was pissed." asked the first speaker

"Why? What's with him lately?" a second voice joined in.

"I heard he had a meeting with General Hammond and was sent home for a few days. I don't know why. All I know is what Chris told me. He was on the upper level coming through security and saw the Colonel yelling at the guard for something. Other's I've seen have said that he left the base in a hurry and wouldn't talk to him. I don't know why they bother. I need my head. Don't want it bitten off. I stay the hell away from him now. I have no clue what's up with him." added a third speaker, who was eager to spread what he'd heard.

"I heard he's been kicked of SG-1."

"Why would they do that?"

"Come on, you've heard the rumours about him and Major Carter..."

The voices dimmed as they headed to the elevator. Sam sat at her desk angry and blushing furiously. Now what had happened? What rumours? She hadn't heard any. She quickly opened her on-base email and typed a short message to Daniel.

Daniel. I heard that the Colonel had been sent home. You know anything of this? Let me know.  
Sam

She hit send and hoped Daniel would check his email soon. She'd go find him but wanted to wait a little until she controlled her temper. That's all the base needed to see. Another member of SG-1 loosing it. She turned back to the results of the days tests and attempted to refocus on it.

Daniel stuck his head through the door to the gym and took a quick look around. Damn. Not here. Where was he? He'd been looking for Jack for at least an hour and couldn't find him anywhere. Teal'c had stopped by his lab several hours ago and informed him that he would be departing with SG-3 in a few hours and would be returning the following day. He knew Jack wasn't with Teal'c and when he'd passed Sam's lab the door was shut so he assumed she was with Felger and the likelihood of Jack being with them was slim to none. As he exited the gym he ran into Sgt. Peters.

"You looking for someone?"

"I don't suppose you've seen Jack have you? I've been everywhere and I can't find him."

"You won't. He left about 2 hrs ago."

Daniel thanked the Sergeant and headed back to his lab. He'd wanted to ask Jack about the stars around P2K 458 as Jack knew a great deal about astronomy. It would save him the time of researching all the information himself. He knew if he asked Sam she would more than likely know, but hadn't wanted to disturb her. He also wanted a chance to talk to Jack and find out what was going on with him. Sitting at his desk he opened his email and read the message from Sam. Within moments he was running for the elevator.

Sam paused as she heard someone running in the corridor. Her door was now shut so she wouldn't be disturbed more than she already had been. That someone who had been running was currently pounding at her door. She opened it to find a distressed Daniel.

"Daniel. What's wrong?"

"I couldn't find Jack. I wanted to talk to him. I swear I went all over this base only to have someone tell me that Jack went home. I go back to my office to see your email that he was sent home. What's going on?" Daniel paused to take a breath and Sam took the opportunity to get a word in.

"I don't know what happened. I heard some personnel discussing it. I have no idea what really happened and I just wondered if you knew anything more."

Daniel shook his head.

"Look, the best way to find out what's going on is to go ask General Hammond, or maybe Janet. They'll know what's really going on. You go talk to Janet. She'll probably tell you more and I'll go to Hammonds office. I'm not military so I can harass him a little more."

Sam agreed and headed off to Janet's office.

When Sam and Daniel met for supper neither had much to say. Janet hadn't said much to Sam other than Colonel O'Neill had injured his ankle and needed to stay off it for a while. General Hammond had given Daniel a similar line. After trying Jack's cell and home phone with no response and plenty of messages Daniel had given up. As they ate the conversation turned to their research. Dr. Felger joined them shortly and informed Sam that they had received some data from the seismometers. There was some earthquake activity but nothing severe. The three of them continued their discussion from the commissarry to the labs and began to put together a presentation for the following days briefing. Not a word was spoken regarding the errant Colonel.

* * *

"What kind of earthquake's are we discussing here Major?"

"Well Sir, the earthquakes are quite frequent which is not unusual for an active or dormant volcano. The earthquakes we have recorded are micro-earthquakes measuring less than 2.0 on the Richter Scale. Most humans will not detect and earthquake until a 3.0 minimum. Currently we do not have enough data to confirm that this is the norm, but the frequency of the earthquakes is a good sign."

"Why is that, Major."

"The volcano is essentially releasing pressure. This can be a good thing as the pressure won't build up over the years and cause the volcano to have a cataclysmic eruption." At this point Felger jumped in.

"What we're saying is that the likelihood of a massive eruption at this point, well, seems slim to none. We would need more data to confirm that, but that is how it seems right now." General Hammond nodded his acknowledgement at this statement.

"How much more data would you need?"

"About 2 days worth," replied Sam as Dr. Felger said " ummm several weeks." General Hammond looked at the two of them.

"Anything to add Dr. Jackson?"

"I would like to volunteer to head back to the planet and have a look around." Daniel looked eagerly at General Hammond who was struggling to repress a smile. Dr. Jackson would be the best person to send to explore and had been the first person on his list. Major Carter seemed to be trying not to add her enthusiasm at the idea of going back.

"Before I make a decision I want more information and research. I don't want to send anyone into the middle of a potentially very active volcano without good reason. I will give you until Thursday to complete a report on the risks and benefits of a longer mission to P2K 458. You have two days. Dismissed."

Dr. Felger and Sam wandered away deep in discussion regarding the research yet to come. Daniel lingered behind.

"General."

"Yes?"

"May I ask who you would be planning on sending back to P2K 458?"

"Don't worry Dr. Jackson. You'll be going." He chuckled as he answered.

"Thank you, but I was wondering who else would be going?"

"Is there someone who you would like to specifically request Dr?"

"Well, yes. I'd like SG-1 to go." General Hammond looked doubtful as Daniel continued. "Sam would be there in case we found any abandoned technology, Teal'c can help with his knowledge of the goa'uld and Jack..." Daniel trailed off.

"Colonel O'Neill?" Hammond sounded almost surprised. He rationalized that out of everyone Daniel would be the most likely to get through to him and solve the mystery surrounding the recent behaviour.

"Well, something good happened to him while we were there. He started acting, well, more like himself. I think it would be interesting to find out what happened and see if we can re-create it."

"I'll take it under consideration. Good night Dr. Jackson." General Hammond headed to his office thinking things over. Would sending Jack back to the planet be a good idea? It certainly wasn't the mission the Colonel wanted to do. Maybe, just maybe, a few days away from Earth and the stress of the base with his team would be good for him. He didn't want to upset the rest of SG-1 by not allowing Jack to accompany them, but Jack could upset them by being there for several days, in his foul mood, saying all sorts of things he didn't mean. Which was the lesser of two evils?


	5. Chapter 5

By Thursday Sam was exhausted. She'd been pulling all nighters for the two days attempting to get as much information as possible for the briefing. SG-17 had returned from their recent mission with what appeared to be crates of artifacts from another abandoned planet and Daniel had been locked in his lab ever since. Neither Sam or Daniel had Colonel O'Neill to chase them away for a few hours of sleep, and they were both working as much as possible in case a longer mission to P2K 458 was approved.  
No sight or sound of Colonel O'Neill for almost 3 days and Sam was getting worried. Eventually Janet chased her out of the lab for some lunch. 

"Sam, how long since you've slept?"

"Uh, I'm ok. haven't really needed sleep."

"Come on Sam. You're white as a sheet and your eyes are bloodshot and have been for at least a day. You need rest."

"I will Janet, after the briefing. I just want to make sure we have all the info ready to go."

"How's it going? Do you think you'll be going back."

"I think there's a chance. The mineral analysis of the sand showed some chemical compounds that we have never seen before. Tests show it's incredibly porous and light yet extremely hard. Could have all sorts of uses in the military. Did your team have a chance to examine the tree sample that Daniel brought back?"

"Yes. We didn't find much which is probably a good thing. I would rather find nothing than discover it's deadly poisonous."

"Well, the readings we've received from the seismometers indicate that we won't be able to feel any earthquakes. The earthquakes have been consistent in frequency and magnitude. Another UAV flyover picked up no active hot spots from the caldera. We've labeled the volcano dormant as there is nothing so far to suggest an upcoming eruption."

"Wouldn't it be extinct then?"

"No. Volcanologist's won't consider a volcano extinct until there is overwhelming data that the likelihood of another eruption is nonexistent. We can't prove that yet as it could blow again. Hence the dormant status."

"Anything else that you would like to check out?"

"I'm just as curious as Daniel about what could be found in the villages." mused Sam. Suddenly the half full commissary fell quiet. She turned around to see Colonel O'Neill stride in and head for the deserts. He waved at Sam and Janet then proceeded to sit by himself and eat. Janet shrugged at Sam and stood up.

"I think it's my cue to leave. He's supposed to stop by the infirmary after going to see General Hammond. Do you have plans later?"

"I'm not sure. Depends on how the briefing goes. I'll stop by after and let you know."

Janet disappeared towards the infirmary and Sam decided to stop by Felger's lab and make sure he was fully prepared for the briefing. Hammond was easily irritated with Dr. Felger after the gate virus fiasco, and she didn't want the mission to be scrubbed because Felger wasn't organized and missed important facts.

* * *

Approximately 15 minutes into the briefing Jack quietly entered the room and took a seat. He looked slightly uncomfortable as his teammates turned to smile at him. He stayed quiet for most of the briefing, only being vocal when asked a direct question. His face remained neutral throughout. At the conclusion of the briefing it was decided that SG-1 would travel to P2K 458 and spend 6 days there. On the sixth day, SG-7 would relieve SG-1 if anything of interest was found. SG-1 would report back to the SGC every 12 hours. Supplies would be sent with them and the following day if anything else was required. Hammond ordered the mission to begin at 1800 the following day, and left SG-1 to discuss the finer points regarding what to take with them. Jack remained professional throughout the discussion, going over the list of things they wished to bring and cutting items that were not required. He made no comment or showed no emotion regarding the mission which unnerved Sam. At least he wasn't grouchy, just aloof. After giving each person a list of what to pack in their packs Jack wished them a good night and left the room. Daniel couldn't help but comment. 

"This is new!"

"To what are you referring to Daniel Jackson?"

"He's not grouchy or biting our heads off but it doesn't seem like Jack. I don't think I've ever seen him like this. Quiet. Wonder if he's sick?"

"If he was Daniel, I doubt he'd be cleared by Janet to return to active duty. Must have something to do with General Hammond." Sam spoke between yawns. "Sorry guys. I can't stay awake much longer. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Night Sam."

"Good night Major Carter."

Sam fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. She didn't have the energy to ponder the Colonel's newest mood.

* * *

"Move out SG-1" 

Sam smiled at General Hammond before following her team through the gate. Once on the planet she pulled out her modified GPS and started plotting the quickest way to their temporary home. They had discovered an area close to the lake that was protected from the wind by a small cliff on a smaller hill. It was surrounded by trees except for one small gap where you could see the stargate if you used binoculars. It was along the route that Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c had taken towards the lake previously. Using the detailed maps at the SGC, Sam and Teal'c had plotted a course which would avoid the dense area of forest that had proved troublesome last time. O'Neill pulled out his sunglasses as the daylight flooded the area. Sam pulled out the remote for the FRED and they headed off. The trek would take around half an hour depending on the terrain. They walked in silence through the sand and towards the grass. Once at their campsite, Jack made his first comment and order of the mission.

"Welcome home kids. Enjoy your stay. Carter, start unloading the FRED. I want to know if we're missing anything. Daniel and Teal'c, set up the tents. I'm going to take a quick walk around. Radio's on channel 3", and with that, departed.

Daniel dropped his pack gratefully. Jack had refused to allow him to put some of his books onto the FRED so Daniel had sneaked them into his pack. He hadn't thought at the time about the extra weight. Sam grinned at him knowing why it was so heavy. She wondered how the Colonel would react when he saw the books but she hoped he would see Daniel's books before her laptop. She had her solar recharger with her and the laptop was the easiest way to store information. Plus it wasn't as heavy as several books.

Two hours later the area looked ready to live in. Teal'c had set both tents up in record time. Using the trees and the cliff edge a tarp had been placed to create a wind block as it was surprisingly breezy. Daniel had found several large tree trunks and had managed to set up a seating arrangement underneath and Carter had sorted through all the cooking supplies and gear on the FRED so it was a little more organized.

"So, you reckon it's ok to have a fire?" asked Daniel. Years ago he had started a fire without asking or thinking and Jack had come down on him a little hard. He always checked now.

"The planet is uninhabited Daniel Jackson. There is no one to see the smoke. I will assist you." Teal'c started to move rocks to create a fire pit as Daniel recovered tree limbs from the ground. Every time he approached a tree he carefully inspected it for any of the needle like leaves.

"Daniel. Don't worry. Those other trees are distinguishable from these ones on the aerial maps and we chose this location as there were none within 5 miles or so. These trees don't bite."

"How do you know?"

"I won't until you test them for me." Sam gave Daniel a wicked smile and continued to unpack and set up her 'science station.' She had wanted to monitor the earthquakes from the planet and needed to set up a satellite and set it up to receive a signal from the MALP which they had left at the gate.

Colonel O'Neill had returned shortly after and promptly glared at Daniel after spotting the firepit.

"Teal'c said it was ok!" Daniel instantly commented. O'Neill merely glanced at Teal'c who bowed his head in admission.

"Ok. We drawing names for sleeping arrangements? " he growled. Sam hoped she wasn't with Daniel. The last mission his allergies had acted up and he snored loudly every time she attempted to sleap. Daniel spoke up first.

"Well, I bunked with Sam last time. Teal'c I think it's your turn this mission." A look of relief washed over Sam. She was still tired from the sleepless nights she'd had getting ready for this mission. Daniel winked at her. He knew how little sleep she had got last time and how tired she was pretending not to be now. Jack nodded his head in response and started to unload his things into a tent. He arranged his bedroll, removed his boots and laid down. His head hurt and he hoped that rest would alleviate the pain. As he lay there he went over the last 3 days.

He'd left Hammond's office, changed into his civvies and made a beeline for the surface. He hadn't run into anyone until he tried to leave, then the guard at the gate had made some comment about leaving early and Jack had lost his temper. He shuddered as he remembered. Finally a shaken guard had wished him good evening and he'd driven home. Arriving to an empty house he'd checked the mail and his answering machine. Nothing. Needing a beer he had opened his fridge and discovered several science experiments growing and no beer. Grabbing his keys he had slammed the door in frustration and taken off to the nearest liquor store.

On his way home he'd been pulled over for speeding. He managed to talk his way out of a ticket but the incident hadn't improved his mood. Once back at his house, after turning off the ringer on his phone, he'd turned the TV on to a sports channel and drank the night away. He woke up the following morning shocked at the amount he had drunk. He was too old and wise to try to drink his anger away, but it had felt so good the previous night. Due to a hangover he had done nothing the next day except order pizza and have a few more drinks. He had stopped short of drunk as he had to pay a visit to Doc Frasier at noon the following day. He'd had a restless sleep that night as his mind seemed to want him to relive some memories he had never wanted to remember again. Iraq, Charlie, Ne'Tu, Ba'al. These were some he could remember having nightmares from.

He'd woken up later in the morning, had a shower and in a somber mood driven to the SGC. He'd gone straight to the commissary for a bite to eat, seen Carter and Janet sitting together and decided not to join them just yet. He was still trying to get the irritability out of his system. Watching Carter and Janet leave he decided to go to the Generals office to report. General Hammond had informed Jack that he was to return to active duty pending Dr. Frasier's exam. He added that Jack needed to loose the bad mood or he would be forced to refer Jack to Dr. Mackensie.

Jack had stumbled out into a back stairway to avoid all the personnel in the control room. His visit to Frasier took longer than expected as Sgt Siler needed to get some stitches done first. Late for the pre-mission briefing, he'd gone to the control room, still attempting to school his face into anything other than anger or frustration. He sighed. He wasn't proud of his behaviour, especially towards his team, yet for some reason wasn't ready to apologize to them just now.

Next thing Jack was aware of was someone laughing, loudly. T? He doesn't laugh very often. Why did it appear darker in the tent? He looked at his watch and was shocked to discover almost 4 hrs had past. He tried to figure out where the day had gone when he remembered vaguely Carter mentioning that this planet had 9 hrs day and 9 hrs of night. On the bright side, no headache. He didn't move from atop his sleeping bag and listened to his teammates. Teal'c had been trying to tell more Jaffa jokes and Daniel was attempting in vain to understand them. Teal'c kept finding his own jokes so amusing he would start laughing too hard to explain them properly, leaving a thoroughly confused Daniel trying to figure them out on his own. He heard Carter's voice ask the others if they should wake him for dinner and decided it was time to make an appearance. He put his boots on and crawled out of the tent, wandered over to his teammates and took a seat. Daniel poured him a cup of coffee and Jack accepted it with a slight nod. Sam looked tense as Teal'c stopped laughing. The conversation they had been enjoying a few moments ago had ended the moment he exited the tent. He realised he had a few bridges to mend.

"What's for dinner?"

"We didn't start anything yet Jack. We weren't sure what you wanted."

"I don't really mind. Go ahead pick something. I'm just hungry." His stomach decided to let out a growl in agreement and Carter laughed.

"What's the difference, they all taste like chicken " muttered Daniel. It was well known that he hated MRE's but that was all they had with them.

"Danny, we'd starve without MRE's, especially if Carter's cooking." Jack attempted to joke. Carter's head shot up and she turned slightly red. As she realised that the Colonel was only teasing her she flashed him a small smile.

"Sir, they send us MRE's as you can't have beer on a mission. How would you cook otherwise" shot back Sam. Jack laughed as did Daniel and all four of them relaxed slightly.

They spent the evening eating dinner, drinking coffee and huddling around the small fire.

Well after sunset, Jack looked up at the sky and saw a mass of stars blinking down upon him.

"Sir?"

"Clear skies. I just noticed how cold it was compared to today. Temperature feels like it fell 30 degrees. No cloud means colder nights." As Jack had wandered away from the fire to check the sky he had started to shiver. He went to go grab his jacket from the FRED where he had tossed it earlier and knocked over a pile of something. They hit him in the shins and he yelped.

"Sir?"

"Something just landed on my shins. Can you grab me a flashlight? I can't see anything over here." Daniel wandered over to Jack shining the light on the ground when he noticed his pile of books on the ground. He flicked the light up to Jacks face but it was too late. Jack knew what hit him.

"Daniel, didn't' I tell you not to bring these?"

"No. You said I couldn't put them on the FRED. I carried them instead."

"Do you really need all of these?" Jack wasn't yelling or shouting. His voice held a tremour of amusement in it. Daniel looked so downcast that it was hard not to be amused.

"Ummm maybe not. But you never know... besides, Sam brought her laptop."

"Tattletale," muttered Sam as she shrugged her shoulders in admission to O'Neill.

Jack bent down to help Daniel retrieve the books and commented in a loud voice laced with humour, "Danny, the reason I don't want you bringing all of these is when you get injured you'll be begging everyone to carry them for you." Daniel heard the tone of Jacks voice and laughed. Some of the normal banter had returned. They collected everyone's coats and returned to the fire.

"Sir, are we taking watches tonight?"

"Yes."

"O'Neill, seeing as you have rested for a few hours, would you take the first watch?" Teal'c knew that Major Carter usually took the first watch but he had observed that both her and Daniel Jackson appeared to be fatigued. He was also in need of some rest. Jack noticed Teal'c's concern and kicked himself for not noticing earlier.

"Yeah. I'll take first watch. Teal'c I'll wake you up in 2 hrs."

The order of the watches decided Sam and Daniel trudged off to their tents and crawled in. Teal'c allowed Major Carter some time to get prepared for the night and followed shortly after leaving Jack alone with his thoughts again.

Half an hour later, Jack sat with his back to the fire to allow his night vision to be uninhibited by the light and watched the stars. He felt like a phony, as if he'd lied to his friends. He hadn't said anything untrue, but he was trying to push the angry part of him deep down and bury it there. He wanted to let it all out but he couldn't alienate his team completely. They proved what he had suspected for a while. They didn't need him. They had made alternate plans in the days he was gone and he was glad for that. They are a great team and someday they'd have to do it without him. He was irked because he still felt he needed them, and was holding them back. Hammond and Frasier were right. He couldn't do this forever. Someday he would have to let them go. Sooner rather than later.

So he decided to distance himself from those he cared about the most, to make it easier on all involved when it was time.


	6. Chapter 6

Jack woke sometime after dawn. He heard Teal'c and Daniel by the fire talking quietly and he assumed Carter was still in her tent. He'd been awakened when Carter had come to get Daniel for his watch. Daniel usually slept fairly deeply so Carter had to open their tent and shake Daniel's leg to rouse him. Jack slept lightly off world so he had woken up when he heard Carter's footsteps outside the tent. Daniel was the best suited for the last watch as it gave him time to wake up before everyone else emerged. Plus, that meant that the coffee would be ready regardless of when he got up. Coffee... time to get up. Jack crawled out of the tent and took a few unsteady steps as he worked the kinks out of his knees and back. He smiled gratefully as Daniel handed him a cup of steaming coffee and wandered over to the clearing in the trees. Using his binoculars he scanned the area around the gate and checked the MALP was still there. He rejoined the others about half an hour later after Carter had emerged and Daniel had started breakfast.

"So Carter, what's the plan for the day?" She looked surprised as it was usually him who made the day's schedule.

"I was thinking we could head to on of the abandoned settlements close to here. Daniel and I that is." she stated hesitantly unsure of what how he was going to react.

"How long a hike are we lookin at?"

"Just over an hour sir. The easiest way is to head back towards the gate so we avoid the densest part of the forest. We can also check in with the SGC while we're there."

"Whenever you're ready Carter." Jack approved the idea and sat back to enjoy his breakfast.

"Sam, the seismometers pick up anything last night?" asked Daniel as Sam pulled out her laptop.

"According to this, during the night we experienced 6 micro earthquakes. All smaller than 2.0 so we wouldn't have noticed them."

"Do you think we'll have a bigger earthquake while we're here?"

"I couldn't say for sure but based on our data I would assume it to be unlikely, but you never know." Conversation dwindled as the four of them finished their breakfast and cleared up after themselves. Soon they were ready to go. It had been decided as they were the only life signs on the planet, that it would be safe to leave their camp up and not have it attended by someone at all times. Jack was still a little leery about leaving the camp but didn't voice his concerns. In his mind he was rationalizing that this could a good chance to allow Carter to make the decisions for him. He knew she could command as she had done a fine job when her, Teal'c, Jacob and Bra'tac had gone after the supersoldiers, but he wanted to see her in action for himself. He sneered at that thought. Not like there'd be much action on this trip.

* * *

At the gate, Teal'c dialed the address for Earth and Jack positioned himself in front of the camera on the MALP. 

"Colonel O'Neill, report."

"Well sir, we have nothing much to report. We've set up camp a little ways from here and are out to go visit the locals. Well, we would be if there were any..."

"Major Carter, we are sending you some of the new analysis from the samples you sent. SG-1 do you need any additional supplies sent through?" Jack looked at Carter who shook her head.

"No Sir, we're good. We'll call again in 12 hrs. O'Neill out."

An hour later the group arrived at the small settlement. It looked extremely dilapidated as all the huts were literally falling down. Daniel immediately started towards the nearest hut. After seeing the Colonel wasn't going to make a comment, Sam spoke up.

"Daniel. Be careful. Let us look at the outside before anyone goes in. We don't want to be carrying you back home." Right now she was more interested in stopping her friend dash towards potential danger than what Colonel O'Neills reaction would be to her jumping in. When Daniel had stopped short of the hut, Sam turned around and saw no expression on the Colonel's face. Ok. So either last night had been a charade to cover his bad mood or it had returned. Sam walked quickly towards Daniel a little annoyed. Sam and Teal'c checked the structure out as Daniel waited eagerly. Jack had stayed further back and was fiddling with his P-90.

"Go ahead Daniel. Take care. It isn't going to fall down unless you knock something like a support beam." Daniel headed in as Sam and Teal'c went to check out the rest of the settlement. It only had about 8 small huts and one large one. Three of the huts had collapsed completely and half of the larger hut had a wall and good portion of the roof missing. The huts were made of wood, mud and what Sam assumed to be straw. Around the perimiter of the large hut were strangely placed rocks. Inside was a strange device which stood about 2ft tall. She called for Teal'c and Daniel who were examining text they had found on a stone pillar outside.

"Major Carter. Do you require assistance?"

"Teal'c, have you ever seen anything like this before?"

"I have not. It is of goa'uld technology yet I recognize the symbols that remain on the pedestal." Teal'c crouched down and attempted to decipher what was remaining of the writing. There wasn't much as most of it looked like it had been scoured. Daniel wandered in, his nose in a book.

"Daniel, what have you got?"

"I believe we have a name for the planet. The best translation I can get is Tefshu from the words and gods Tefnut and Shu. They were the parents of Geb and the words mean moisture and dryness. Coincidentally in ancient Egypt Geb was a minor god who when he laughed was said to cause earthquakes. I'm guessing this was the goa'uld who ruled this planet. What's this?" Daniel finally noticed the metallic object in the center of the hut. He joined Teal'c on the ground. "I don't quite recognize the dialect. Do you Teal'c?"

"I do not Daniel Jackson. As there is damage to the surface I am unable to see more than a few symbols. I believe this is a symbol similar to another meaning shield."

"A shield? As in..."

"I cannot be sure Major Carter. I would be unable to translate this without more symbols being visible." Teal'c stood up and scanned the area. There was nothing in the structure with any writing on it.

"Maybe the pillar will be able to tell us what this is? I'm having trouble understanding though. It looks like it was written in several languages at once. I don't recognize one of them. I've only gotten as far as finding a name of this planet. Teal'c maybe we can try to translate it and hope that it will tell us about this shield?"

Teal'c and Daniel went back to the pillar as Colonel O'Neill waltzed into the hut.

"Carter?"

"We don't know what it is yet Sir. The writing on it has been damaged and Daniel or Teal'c can't read it. I'm going to take a closer look to see if I can figure out what it does."

"You need anything?" Jack was beginning to feel useless again. He couldn't help Daniel or Teal'c with the translation and all Carter's technobabble usually went way over his head.

"Ummm. We haven't had a good look around yet. Could you go explore the other huts? See if there's any books or, well, anything that could help us here." Carter was desperately trying to think of something for him to do. She didn't need help right now as she had no idea what this thing could do. Having too many sets of hands helping could be disastrous. She sighed and she lay back on the ground and started to take the cover off what she assumed to be the power source.

Several hours later, Sam was no closer to guessing what this thing was. She had tried everything including, what she assumed to be, turning it on and nothing had happened. She growled in frustration and headed out towards Daniel and Teal'c hoping they had been more successful. Colonel O'Neill was pacing around them obviously bored. She crouched down to tie her shoe and felt something weird. She looked up to see Colonel O'Neill with his arms out to balance himself and realised what was happening. She swayed and fell on her rear as she comprehended the earthquake. It was over within a few seconds. She glanced at Daniel who was bracing himself against the pillar and Teal'c who was standing with his legs apart holding his staff weapon to help keep him centered.

"Carter?" said O'Neill, his eyes wide. Carter already had her laptop out and shook her head.

"Sir, the seismometers say the magnitude was a 2.4. We shouldn't have felt that! We need to go check them. Something must be wrong with the equipment."

"Ok. Let's go." Daniel looked upset at having to leave early but understood why. Teal'c merely started walking towards the gate.

* * *

"Sir, While we are there I'd like to dial home and compare my results to the ones at the SGC. Also, General Hammond requested that we check in every 12 hrs. I forgot at the time that the days are shorter here so we'll be checking in at 9pm at home, but the middle of the night here. It could get dangerous trekking to the gate if there's no natural light." 

"Ok Carter. You check the seismothingies and I'll dial home."

Once at the gate, Sam and Daniel checked the seismometers and found everything working as it should be. Jack dialed the gate.

"Colonel O'Neill, you aren't due to report for another 6 hrs."

"Yeah, General, about that. Carter forgot that the planet's day is shorter than Earths. We'd be checking in while it was dark here. Oh and we experienced a small quake less than an hour ago. Wondering if the data at the SGC matches ours." Dr. Felger's voice came through the MALP shortly after.

"Major Carter. All our information is the exact same as yours. There is no physical way you should've felt that quake. There has to be some kind of malfunction."

"The likelihood of all the seismometers malfunctioning and giving the exact same wrong readings are astronomical."

"How about moving the seismometers? We could take new readings and possibly reveal what's going on."

"Ok. We'll redial the gate when we've reset them. Carter out."

The gate shut off and Carter had an insight to the problem.

"Sam?" Daniel could see her eyes light up as if she'd discovered something.

"Daniel. When the gate connects it shakes ever so slightly right? Even off world?"

"Yes but barely."

"Our seismometers are so sensitive they can pick up an earthquake measuring 0.5 on the Richter Scale. The energy of an earthquake that size is equivalent to a hand grenade going off."

"Carter, that's not exactly small," put in O'Neill

"Sir, it would be if you walked a mile away. You wouldn't feel it. I just want to check something." Carter pulled out her laptop and was silent as the others looked on.

"I think I know why the readings are inaccurate. The seismometers are not picking up the gate activating. This means they're being dampened by something. I'm going to guess that this black sand is insulating the ground and seismic waves, hence we're getting faulty readings. That's probably why the gate was put here so the minor earthquakes wouldn't damage it."

"So what do we do to correct it Major?"

"We've got to move the seismometers off the sand and place them in non insulated ground."

"How long will this take Sam?"

"We've got to hurry. It will be dark soon and we still have the hike back." Everyone jumped into action. Teal'c and Jack dialed Earth to explain what they were doing and request two shovels be sent through as Daniel and Sam removed the seismometers. Two hours later they were done and it was getting dark. There was a small debate on whether or not to send the shovels back through the gate, which was ridiculous, though explained how tired they all were. Sam gave up arguing and started walking, and sure enough the other three followed still bickering. In all truth, Daniel and Jack were arguing, while Teal'c chose to stay silent and wait until he was needed to calm them both down.

* * *

Back at the camp the remainder of the evening followed a similar pattern as that of the night before. The only big exception was that O'Neill stayed silent for most of the evening and after dinner wandered away from the fire. The others knew something was wrong but couldn't discuss it as Jack had the hearing of a bat. Eventually Daniel wandered over and sat next to Jack. 

"What are you doing over here?"

"Watching TV Daniel." Daniel gave Jack a frown but then realised it was very dark and Jack probably couldn't see his face.

"Great. What's on?" Jack didn't answer so Daniel just sat back and enjoyed the view. As there was no light pollution from the planet so the stars were clearly visible, and the heavens were littered with them. Jack came out of his reverie and noticed Daniel had fallen asleep. He looked back towards the dying fire and saw Teal'c and Sam playing a card game. He poked Daniel a few times and got a grunt in return. Reluctantly Jack stood up and hauled Daniel up. Daniel woke up with a start at the rough treatment, shook himself free of Jack and sleepily staggered over to his tent. Jack went back to the warmth of the fire and sat down. Sam looked to be holding in her mirth just barely. She guessed that Daniel had been asleep when the Colonel had picked him up and probably wouldn't remember it in the morning. Tea'c offered to take the first watch so Jack and Sam headed to bed.

* * *

The following morning Sam checked the readings before she even had a coffee. They clearly showed an increase in the magnitude of the earthquakes. While most of them were still too small to be felt there had been several larger ones. She shared the new information with the rest of the team and suggested they head to the gate to confirm the newer readings with the SGC. Daniel requested that he and Teal'c go back to the village and continue translating the pillar. They had about half of it to go and had uncovered nothing useful yet. The team split up at the gate and after receiving affirmation of the current readings. 

"So Carter, what now?"

"Sir, let's head towards the lake. I'd like to see the caves if they're close enough." Jack grinned. Sounded like a good day trip to him. He radioed Teal'c and informed him of their plans. Sam found an easier and quicker way to the shore and they arrived there within half an hour. To Jack's surprise they had emerged from the forest closer to the caves. After eating lunch they walked towards the caves. At the entrance to a small cave on the shore they found another device.

"Sir, this looks similar to the one we found yesterday."

"Kinda. It's a bit small." That was an understatement. The one back at the village had stood about two feet tall and this one was less than one foot. The surface of the device was a smooth non reflective metallic substance that seemed to blend with the dark brown sand which covered several yards of shoreline. Looking and the smooth surface Carter became discouraged.

"What's up Carter?"

"The other device was damaged somehow and this one must've been smoothed by the tides of this body of water."

"This thing has tides?"

"It would make sense. There is a moon here and that's part of what affects the tides on Earth. The gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun, along with the field gradient..."

"Akh. Carter. My head. Tides in lake. Got it. How big you reckon this lake is?"

"The UAV didn't do a flyover of this area and the maps the asgard sent us don't include most of this planet. On the maps they did provide I would assume some of the bodies of water to be oceans due to the planet's climate. This could easily be one of those oceans."

"Sooooo. Fish?" Carter grinned.

"Unlikely. We analysed the sample of water you brought back and the water is slightly acidic. We couldn't drink it but we could go in it for short periods of time. It wouldn't be able to support any marine life that we know of." Sam smiled at the Colonel's look of disappointment and was radioing her find to Daniel when another earthquake hit. As Sam crouched on the sand she could see ripples in the water and a new thought struck her. What of tsunamis? Would they be at risk? She had downloaded a wealth of information regarding volcanoes and earthquakes onto her laptop. Surely there must be something there. The quake lasted a second or two longer than the other one and Jack immediately called for Daniel and Teal'c over the radios. He received no answer and tried several times with no response. He and Sam started running for the village.


	7. Chapter 7

Sam and Jack arrived at the village out of breath and in a state of panic. During their mad dash they had not been able to make radio contact with Teal'c or Daniel. Surveying the village, they thought the worst. There were only two or three huts still standing, and the main larger hut had collapsed. They both breathed a small sign of relief as they could see Teal'c, moving debris from what used to be the large hut.

"Teal'c. Where's Daniel?"

"O'Neill, he was studying the device when the earthquake struck. I believe he is trapped under the rubble." Jack sprang into action joining Teal'c in removing the debris.

"Teal'c you're hurt!" exclaimed Sam.

"It is superficial Major Carter. I am not badly injured" Sam moved towards the pile of rubble and assisted the other two. Suddenly a hand appeared through the beams of wood.

"Daniel. Can you hear us."

"Yeah, get me out of here." Jack removed the last few beams and pulled Daniel out.

"You injured?"

"No. I don't think so." Daniel looked shaken, but other than a large bleeding gash on his forehead, he was fine.

"How the hell are you not! This damn thing just fell on you." Jack kicked some of the rubble to emphasise his point.

"That thing works Sam."

"What? The shield? "

"Yes."

"What happened Daniel?"

"Me and Teal'c had almost finished translating the pillar and I headed back in to check if there was a symbol on the pedestal that we couldn't translate off the pillar. I saw this thing light up. This bit here." Daniel pointed to an area which Sam had assumed to be the control panel or power source. "Then I felt the earthquake hit and before I could stand up the roof started to come down. I guess the rest came down on top of it." Daniel looked around the debris, and for the first time realised exactly what had happened to him. He'd been buried under the remains of a building. Sam saw Daniel go white and start swaying on his feet.

"Colonel.. Daniel." Jack turned to Daniel and caught him as he fell to a sitting position.

"Carter, I think we need to head back to the gate." Sam nodded her agreement. They got Daniel standing, and started walking back. Half way to the gate Daniel was walking by himself and insisting he was fine. Jack opened his mouth to retort when he saw the look on Carter's face. He could read the message clearly. Let the General decide as Daniel couldn't win the argument with him. Daniel started rambling on about the device.

"It glowed. Just before the earthquake struck. Must be an early warning system. Not much of a warning though..."

"What happened when the earthquake started?" Interrupted Sam.

"It was weird, like the orange glowing grew into a bubble. It enlarged around me and looked like it would keep going. Then the roof collapsed."

"Do you remember anything hitting you?"

"I vaguely remember this" Daniel pointed to the gauze on his forehead. " But I don't think nothing else hit me. How about Teal'c?"

"Teal'c said he was standing across from you where there was no roof. When the building came down his arm was grazed by a beam falling errantly. He didn't mention seeing any glowing."

"Sam, what if it's a shield, just like the symbol suggested? I didn't get hurt when I should've been. We need to go back and recover it." Daniel actually turned around before Sam grabbed his arm and steered him back towards the gate.

"We need to check in first. We'll see what General Hammond says. If it is a shield we should send it to the SGC so they can study it there. We have limited equipment here and I couldn't figure it out earlier."

They arrived at the gate and dialed home. Sam and Daniel explained what had happened. General Hammond voiced his concern for Daniel, and for him to return to the base and get checked out. He also became intrigued by the device and it's potential uses. He ordered Jack and Daniel to return to the SGC, and Sam and Teal'c to recover the device if possible and return with it home, the following day. Daniel slumped his shoulders and reluctantly walked through the event horizon.

"O'Neill. May I have the use of your radio as you are returning?"

"Where's yours?" Jack remembered they hadn't asked Daniel or Teal'c what had happened when he had tried to make contact with them.

"I was holding my radio when it was knocked from my hand. I did not think we had time to look for the missing radio's earlier."

"Yah, here you go T." Jack tossed him his radio. "Don't go looking for the others. If you find them great, but that's a lot of crap to move to find two radios." With that Jack sauntered through the gate.

Sam and Teal'c began the trek back to the camp. They were not going to attempt to recover the device now as there wasn't much daylight left. They would be walking in the dark if they did.

* * *

Jack stepped off the ramp and walked with Daniel to the infirmary. After receiving his own check up by a thorough Dr. Frasier, he joined Hammond in the briefing room. They discussed what had occurred and Hammond was obviously wary of keeping their team there. 

"Jack. What do you think?"

"Well Sir. Carter and Daniel seem to think that this thing causes some kind of shield to protect against earthquakes. Daniel should've been more injured but fortunately he wasn't. If we can get this thing back to Earth and somehow copy it, it could help thousands of people. I know it's not exactly the technology to save the planet from alien invasion but we could help the people of Earth by doing what ever it is that it does. I think we should extract it and bring it back here. The other device me'n Carter found isn't around anything that's going to fall on us so she can look at that and see if it's the same thing. I suggest that we go back and complete the mission." Jack looked startled as he stated that last point. He hadn't expected those words to come out of his mouth. From the look on Hammond's face neither had he.

"Ok Jack. When Dr. Jackson is cleared you can head back to the planet providing it's still light there. Inform Major Carter and Teal'c that if they are sucessful in removing the device I want them to return here. They can head back after." Hammond hesitated. "Jack have you thought about what myself and Dr. Frasier discussed with you several weeks ago?" Jack started looking everywhere except at Hammond and a scowl had returned to his face. "I'm taking that as a no. I suggest you use this time to think on it. I will need an answer soon." An airman knocked on the open door and informed them both that Dr. Jackson had been cleared and was waiting in the control room. Jack took his leave of Hammond and descended the stairs to the control room. Seeing Daniel was ready to go Jack went to gear up. 10 min later the two of them returned to Tefshu.

* * *

They wandered back to the camp shortly after dark. Carter and Teal'c had a fire going and looked to be cooking their dinner. 

"Hey guys" called Daniel so as not to scare them. They had radioed that they were on their way, yet as it was dark Teal'c and Sam would not have been able to see them approach.

"Hey Daniel. What did Janet say?"

"Just a few stitches. Nothing much." Daniel took a seat as Jack dug through the MRE's for their supper. When Jack started to cook his dinner Teal'c's deep voice cut through his own thoughts.

"O'Neill, what did General Hammond have to say?"

"Huh?"

"What did General Hammond have to say regarding our current mission?"

"Ummm, he pretty much wants us to be careful. We'll return in 3 days as planned. We're to try to bring that device back to the SGC, but you guys can return after." Jack seemed distant, and ate his dinner in silence. Daniel, Sam and Teal'c made up for his silence by having an animated discussion on the shield, and how best to remove it from its base without damaging it. Sam suddenly remembered she hadn't told Daniel of their earlier find on the shore. Daniel jumped up excitedly and started pacing around the fire as he sprouted theories of what they all meant. It was late before Jack sent them all to bed and took first watch. He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep just yet as his mind was working overtime. It didn't take long for Daniel to start snoring and it was only then that Jack relaxed. He needed to think things through.

He recollected the conversation he had had with Hammond just a few weeks ago. It had been him, Doc Frasier and Hammond in the office with the door closed. That in itself was a bad sign. When Doc Frasier had started talking he heard the first bit then almost shut down. Quit SG-1! That's all he heard and didn't remember much else. He didn't think he was ready, yet he wondered what his team thought. He would never ask them as they would assure him that they needed him. He knew that was a lie, they did great on their own.

What if he did quit, not just SG-1 but the entire thing? Would he have a more normal life, a dog, go fishing everyday? Could he have a normal life without the action and the excitement? Not only that, he would deeply miss his friends. If he left the SGC he wouldn't see them as much, and he liked the way things the way they were. He didn't like changes as they were usually bad. Well, there were two changes in his life he would never regret. Going through the gate the first time, then joining the SGC all those years ago.

He grinned to himself as he remembered Daniel on that first mission, Teal'c when he had his staff weapon pointed at him, and Carter at the first briefing. Who would've imagined he'd have friends like that? A geeky archaeologist who was continually stepping on his last nerve, a trustworthy alien, and a brilliant, not to mention beautiful astrophysicist! Wait, did he just call Carter beautiful? She was, but he never allowed him to think of it. He couldn't' think of it. He jumped as he heard a tent zipper. Carter crawled out of the tent with her hair tousled from sleep. He watched her gracefully walk over towards him and smile ever so slightly. Damn. He lost his concentration and all previous thoughts left his head.

"Sir? Wasn't my watch supposed to start half an hour ago?" Jack looked at his watch surprised. Where had the time gone?

"Uh yeah Carter. Just about to come get you. Guess that means your watch is shorter tonight. You owe me one..." Jack grinned and went towards his tent. He groaned inwardly as he realised Daniel was still snoring. He clambered into the tent, settled in his sleeping bag then poked Daniel until he rolled over. It wasn't long before he was out too.

Carter meanwhile added more wood to the fire. Colonel O'Neill had almost let it burn out! He must've been deep in thought to forget to wake her. She wondered what it was and whether or not it was the cause of his mood swings. She shrugged mentally and settled herself for her shorter watch.


	8. Chapter 8

Daniel was enjoying the morning. A new day was dawning and the view was spectacular. The purple and red moon had risen with the sun this morning and was casting a reddish glow on Tefshu. Daniel sat back with his cup of coffee contented. How many people were this lucky? He didn't think very many. He planned his day, or what he hoped would be his day, as he sipped his third, or was it fourth, cup of coffee. He hoped that he could go towards the beach and check out the smaller device Sam had found the previous day. Jack and Teal'c could remove the other one. He frowned as he realised that Sam would need to be there too and no one went off alone on an unknown planet. He had an idea. If he got everyone up early enough they could do both. He jumped up and started to make breakfast and more coffee for everyone, creating as much noise as possible in the process.

Sam woke suddenly when an unusually large crash broke through her otherwise peaceful sleep. She sat up in a panic and hit the side of her tent, nose first. Realising where she was, she sheepishly turned around to see if Teal'c was still sleeping. He too was upright, except he didn't look worried in the slightest.

"Major Carter, I presume Daniel Jackson wishes for us to rise." Carter grinned at Teal'c as he stepped out of the tent. When she emerged she saw Daniel sitting by the fire with a smug look on his face.

"So sorry Sam, did I wake you?"

"Daniel, I think you could've woken everyone on this damn planet. Well if there was anyone to wake. You just wait, I'll switch the regular coffee for decaff next mission." Daniel looked truly horrified with Sam's threat.

"Carter, don't say that. Now he'll be bringing his own coffee in his pants pockets," grouched O'Neill as he joined the half awake group. "If you're going to get us up that way at least have a cup of coffee..." Daniel smiled smugly as he interrupted Jacks tirade and handed him a piping hot cup.

Once breakfast had been taken care of, Jack once again asked Carter what the plans were for the day.

"General Hammond requested that we extract the shield device and return it to the SGC. Daniel I'm assuming you want to go check out the other one?" Daniel nodded his assent. "Sir I think I should go and help with the removal and I'll need Teal'c to help me carry it, if you want to go with Daniel?" Sam was trying to split their resources as they had limited time left on Tefshu.

Jack heard Carter express her need for Teal'c and his strength to assist her with something that could be heavy. It agitated him. The rational part of his mind told him that Teal'c was much stronger than him and Carter had made a wise choice yet the rest of his mind began to process the thought that Carter didn't think he could help. His face showed his agitation clearly and Carter hastened to make amends.

"Sir, I was only thinking that this way we could do two things at once. I could use everyone's help if that's ok with Daniel." Daniel too had noticed the change in Jack and jumped in to support Sam.

"If all four of us go the job will go much quicker and we can go to the beach after noon." Jack knew what they were trying to do and why. He schooled his expression to one of neutrality before answering.

"I agree with Daniel. I don't want to be an hour's walk away and have to come back to help you." Sam's eyebrows shot up at his curt retort. She replied with a mandatory "Yes Sir" and started getting ready for the day.

Jack picked up on what he had done and swore to himself. In the process of defending himself he had been churlish to Carter. Not much he could do about it now, but vowed to keep tighter control of his mouth.

* * *

Once at the village Jack groaned when he saw that they needed to remove more of the debris to get to the doohickey. He reluctantly joined in as his knees were giving him grief after that hike, however the four of them working together made short work of it and in no time Carter was checking the thingamabob. 

"Daniel. Where did you see the glowing coming from?" Daniel pointed out an area just under the base. As Sam touched it lightly a spring loaded door popped open to reveal several crystals, most of which were destroyed.

"Teal'c, do you think this can be repaired?" Sam didn't want to start damaging things more when they moved it if there was a chance it could be repaired.

"I do not believe so." Teal'c stated after taking a closer look. He recognized the crystal pattern, but was having a hard time recalling where. As Sam made to move closer, Teal'c remembered.

"Major Carter, stand back." Sam jumped back from the crystal panel and everyone waited for Teal'c's explanation. "This bears resemblance to a transportation device I have seen before. If I am correct it was a design that was intended to replace the transport rings."

"We've never seen these before Teal'c. They couldn't have been that great."

"You are correct O'Neill. In order for this to function properly the user required two transport bases to travel between them, and it would only cover small distances. Unlike the ring transport you did not need clear access to the area you wished to arrive at. These transporters could be used to travel underground or within a ship without the barriers being removed. The ring transport proved to be more effective so this was discarded. "

"Teal'c, if we removed this one, took it to the SGC and repaired it, would it work?"

"I do not believe this can be repaired Daniel Jackson. You would require an exact duplicate to be able to transport yourself between them."

"Is it safe to try to remove it?"

"We must remove all remaining crystals to be sure. I apologize for alarming you Major Carter as I did not recognize it at first. This is not the original design and I suspect this particular device has been altered to serve two functions."

"T, when Daniel saw it glowing, was it going to take him elsewhere?"

"The affects of the transport base would have been immediate O'Neill. Daniel Jackson would not have stayed here long enough to see the shield grow."

"Finally, a piece of good news" grumbled Daniel as he assisted Sam in removing the crystals. The crystals removed Teal'c attempted to lift the device and discovered it was not too heavy. Due to the size and awkwardness of the object he would need assistance in carrying it back to the gate. O'Neill took the one side with a smug look on his face.

Jack and Teal'c walked in front of Daniel and Sam. They could hear Jack complaining that Teal'c was holding the object so that he was carrying most of the load. When Teal'c adjusted the weight load O'Neill started to complain that Teal'c was holding it too high. Daniel grinned and glanced at Sam. He could see she was still upset over that morning.

"Don't worry Sam. I don't think he meant to say it that way. He's just... I don't know. Jack's just being Jack. Only grumpier than normal. Look at him now, not happy unless he's got a comment to make." Sam smiled at Daniel, grateful for what he was trying to do. She missed the old Colonel. The one who stopped by her lab at all hours of the day, the one who made off the wall comments to enemies, the one who's sarcasm was funny not biting, and the one who made her smile. This one left her alone, was rude to everyone, and didn't seem happy anymore. Was it something to do with the team? Had they done something to offend or upset him? Or was it just her.

* * *

At the gate, Jack practically dropped the device. He had insisted on carrying it all the way here with Teal'c despite Daniel's offer to take over for a while. He squashed the urge to rub it in Daniels face as he dialed the gate home. 

"SG-1, this is Hammond."

"Sir, we've recovered the device and are requesting permission to send it through."

"Ok. Send Major Carter and Teal'c through too. Hammond out."

Teal'c picked up the device and Sam followed him through the gate.

* * *

"Sooooo." 

"Daniel?"

"Jack?"

"Daniel."

"Jack"

"Daniel, fer cryin out loud. Spit it out!"

"Jack, i'dliketogocheckouttheobjectontheshore." Daniel spat it out as fast as he could.

"Pardon?" Damn. Didn't work.

"Jack, I'd like to go check out the object on the shore."

"Well, why didn't you say so?"

"Jack, stop being an ass. Are we going?" In response, Jack started walking. Daniel clenched his jaw and followed. This was not the day he had envisioned over his morning coffee.

* * *

Daniel examined the smaller device while Jack skipped rocks on the water. Daniel stayed away from the base, Teal'c's warning of a transport front most in his mind. So far he had confirmed Sam's earlier assessment. There were no markings on it. Jack, bored of playing around had gone to check out some of the caves, the first of which was less than 20ft away. Daniel stood up, frustrated and wiped the sand off his clothing and hands and walked towards the caves to find Jack. He looked into the first cave but saw it was too small for anyone to go very far. The entrance of the second cave was blocked by large rocks which had been there long enough to support plant life. In the third cave he found Jack. He entered and was startled by the size. He could stand three people head to toe and just be short of the roof. In the center of the roof seemed to be a very small skylight which added to the light of the flashlights. He could hear water dripping from the ceiling and see the rocks glistening with moisture. 

"Danny, I was just going to come get you. There's another of those shield thingies over here and something shiny up there." Jack pointed with his flashlight to a shield device resembling the one from the village on the far wall of the cave, and up towards where the roof and the wall of the cave met. The second device was different than the other two. It was built into the rock and resembled a spider on a wall. As Jack swept his flashlight over the cave walls Daniel's heart started to race. There was writing carved into the rock face! Daniel grabbed Jack's flashlight and headed over the far wall.

"Jack! I can read this!"

"Great Danny. What's it say?"

"Umm, I think it's referring to, let me see, that this cave, was used, to, uh, punish those, who did not obey. Ahh, they would leave the, unsatisfactory slaves, here to meet. Huh? Can't read this one." Daniel started to mumble to himself as he deciphered the symbols. "I'm not sure Jack. I think it's saying that this cave was used to house prisoners and when the great water came they would die for their god."

"Great water?"

"That's the translation. Maybe Teal'c could help me out. It must have an alternate meaning."

"So, nothing about these gadgets?"

"Nah, can't see anything, and I can't see any other symbols on the walls."

In the silence in the cave, Jack could hear an echo. It sounded like, water? He walked towards the entrance and saw about an inch of water coming in in waves.

"Daniel, I think this ocean's got tides. We've gotta get out of here."

Daniel collected his backpack and followed Jack out of the cave. They were both startled by the approaching dusk and the rate which the tide came in.

"Great water Daniel?

"Depends on how far the tide comes in. I mean, it could be a quick shallow tide, or just short-lived. I'd need to see how far the water came in."

"O'Neill, Daniel Jackson"

"Yeah Teal'c." Jack looked at his watch as he answered the radio.

"We have returned and are traveling towards the camp. We estimate an hour before joining you."

"Ok T. Just be careful. It's getting dark quickly here."

"We will endeavour to be wary and expeditious O'Neill."

"Ok. see you kids in an hour. O'Neill out. Hurry up Daniel, I ain't gettin any younger here." Jack barked at Daniel.

"Sorry Jack. Just looking for signs of how high the tide goes." Daniel sighed as he noticed yet another mood change.

"Daniel, it's getting dark. You won't see much. We'll check it out tomorrow." Jack called impatiently

"Uh about tomorrow Jack. I was wondering if we could split up? Two and two, cover more ground." Daniel asked nervously.

"What did you have in mind?"

"Well, we've only got 3 days left now, and I want to go check out that temple. It's quite a walk, probably at least four or five hours. I'd have to stay overnight."

"Take Carter with you."

"Actually," Daniel hesitated. "I wanted to go with Teal'c. He'd be more help than Sam in translating, and you and Sam could go check out the high tides and that device on the wall of the cave."

"Carter! Daniel..."

"Jack, what the hell is your problem with her?" Daniel's patience had been worn too thin.

"I don't have a problem."

"Yes you do."

"No I don't"

"Yes you do."

"No Daniel. I don't."

"Damn it Jack, yes you do. You were rude to her this morning, and on countless occasions recently, you've been pissy with her. What did she do to you?"

"Nothing Daniel. Drop it." Jack's voice took on a warning for Daniel to stop this flow of conversation. Daniel ignored it.

"Come to think of it, you've been a bastard to most people. You've snapped at me, yelled at Janet and weren't you sent home after getting angry with General Hammond?" Daniel knew he was treading on dangerous ground, but someone had to say something. He was fed up of his attitude and wanted no more of it.

"Daniel." Jack's voice was low and portrayed all of his anger. Daniel didn't care anymore.

"No. Jack. You need to figure this out. I don't know who shoved that stick up your ass, but you need to determine what, or who, put it there, and how you're going to get it out, before it becomes a permanent fixture."

That said, Daniel stalked off ahead, exasperated and furious.


	9. Chapter 9

Jack wanted to punch Daniel. He as so angry he was shaking and swearing in as many languages as he knew. He sat down hard on the sand and threw rocks at the approaching tide. When the water started lapping at his feet, he got up reluctantly. Daniel was hiking back in the dark, alone. He needed to go after him and make sure he didn't get hurt. He caught up to Daniel but didn't let him know he was there, as he was still too angry to have any sort of conversation. He stayed behind watching as Daniel, in his own anger, shoved branches out of his way, and making enough noise so the noise Jack made was covered. In the distance he could see the glow from the fire. Damn, that meant Carter and Teal'c had beat them there. Daniel stalked towards the fire and sat down without giving Sam and Teal'c any greeting. He stood up again, grabbed an MRE and started to prepare his own dinner. Jack did the same. He could see the looks between Carter and Teal'c and they wisely didn't say anything. After he had finished his dinner he went straight to his tent and settled in for the night. They could figure out the watches and wake him when they wanted him to take a shift. Despite his anger, he fell asleep quickly.

Sam looked questioningly towards Daniel. Daniel unsure if Jack was still awake, just shook his head. He would explain later. Teal'c pulled out the cards and they had a few games without conversation. Sam, yawning decided they needed to figure out the watches before she hit the sack. Daniel offered to take first watch as he knew he would not be able to sleep and Teal'c offered to take second. Sam hesitated. She would rather have the last watch of the day than be saddled waking the Colonel for it. Teal'c saw her thought process and offered to wake O'Neill after his watch. Sam smiled gratefully. Given his current mood Sam didn't want to piss the Colonel off as he began his day. She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the ground.

Teal'c seeing Daniel's distress over the course of the evening stayed and played a few more games with him. He didn't feel that he required rest at that moment and would rather spend time with Daniel, and hope he would open up about what had occurred while he had been gone. About 15min later Daniel finally spoke.

"Why does he do that?"

"To what do you refer, Daniel Jackson?"

"Jack. Why does he block us out. I know there's something bothering him and he won't talk about it. Instead he takes it out on everyone else." Daniel stood up and started to pace around the fire. He told Teal'c what had happened earlier on, yet as he said the words he felt ashamed. Jack was a friend who was having some sort of difficulty and he had not helped him. He'd made the situation worse. As the guilt started to set in Teal'c spoke up.

"I believe you are correct Daniel Jackson. O'Neill has been behaving like a small tau'ri child and a good friend would inform him of how his behaviour is affecting others. I am thankful that you have taken the initiative as I do not think Major Carter would have. I also, was reluctant to speak out. Now O'Neill knows that his actions are affecting others perhaps he will cease his negative demeanor." Daniel almost snorted at the last comment. He doubted that much would change, if anything Jack would probably be worse. Teal'c sometimes, however, had a good insight of O'Neill. By being his usual stoic self, Teal'c was able to keep his cool when dealing with the tau'ri's sometimes intense emotions. Daniel took his seat again, this time much calmer. He grabbed the cards and started shuffling. He was still agitated by Jack, but not angry anymore. He suddenly remembered the 'Great Water' symbol he had found, drew it in the sand with a twig, and asked Teal'c about it.

"I am unsure. I translate this to mean several different phrases. Wave of water to be one of them. Tuat is another..."

"Underworld. Well that kind of makes sense. In Egyptian mythology, Geb was believed to have imprisoned those not worthy to go to the heavenly fields of Aaru after they died. Maybe this is a transporter to somewhere under ground?"

"Do you wish to return to the caves tomorrow?"

"No. I really want to head off for the temple. I think I will find more information there. I've got all I can from the cave. I just have to warn Sam not to step onto the base of the transport device."

"There is no need Daniel Jackson. Once at the SGC I was able to take a detailed look at the device. It is actually two devices merged together. If we remove two specific crystals the transporter is rendered inactive."

"Good. So wanna head out with me tomorrow?"

"We shall see what the morning brings."

Daniel and Teal'c had talked and played cards throughout both of their watches. Teal'c went to rouse O'Neill as Daniel cleared up and added another log to the fire.

"T. Where's Danny?" O'Neill sleepily asked after realising Daniel wasn't in the tent with him.

"He has not yet retired O'Neill. He is concerned about how you will react to him and has not been able to sleep thus far." Jack's mind still sluggish from sleep slowly remembered the recent events and felt regretful. He knew what Daniel had said was true, and had taken courage, he just hadn't been ready to face it himself. So much for pushing his friends away. It just wasn't working. He had hoped that they would leave him alone. They were doing the opposite. He could see the concern on their faces every time he became agitated. He hadn't intended to be such an ass. It just happened that way and he needed to rethink things. He had wanted to make things easier on his team yet this had gotten way out of hand. He needed to make amends and eventually, when he got everything straight in his head, talk to his team. He got up with a resolve to make things right, and sat down at the fire next to a noticeably nervous Daniel. He grabbed the cards and shuffled them.

"How about a game before you go to bed?" Daniel knew he wouldn't get an apology containing the words 'I'm sorry', from Jack, but this was close enough. He nodded and Teal'c smiled to himself as he went to get a few hours sleep.

* * *

Jack had sent Daniel to bed after a few games. Now, an hour and a half later it was time to wake Carter. He stuck his head and arm into the tent and grabbed one of her legs. He gave it a quick tug. Unfortunately the leg he had tugged retaliated and kicked him right in the face. Carter woke to hear a grunt and looked straight into the face of Colonel O'Neill. Why was he holding his mouth? 

"Carter, you kicked me!"

"Huh. What? Oh shit, sorry Sir."

"It's ok Carter." He smiled at her.

"That's what you get for sticking your face too close to my feet." Carter grinned at him, thankful that he seemed to be fairly cheerful, despite her just kicking him in the mouth.

"Your watch Carter. I'm going back to bed." Sam got up, started the coffee and waited for the day to start.

Eventually it had been decided that Daniel and Teal'c would take two days and go to the temple. Sam and Jack would go check out the caves. Daniel and Teal'c packed up what they needed and headed off fairly early, especially seeing as Daniel had been up most of the night. Jacks parting words were to check in at dawn, dusk, and anytime they felt the need to. Daniel struggled with his heavily loaded backpack full of books. Teal'c had packed the tent, food, and cooking equipment and raised an eyebrow to Daniel.

"Daniel Jackson, is the weight of your pack too much?"

"No Teal'c. I'm fine." Jack chuckled. He knew that it wouldn't take long for Daniel to regret taking that many books with him. After moving the remaining tent closer to the tarp and dousing the fire, he and Sam grabbed what gear they'd need, and started in the direction of the gate. They still had to check in with the SGC and inform them of Daniel's and Teal'c's side trip.

"Colonel O'Neill. This is Hammond."

"Mornin General." Jack smiled into the camera

"Jack what happened to your face?" Carter cringed visibly in the background. She'd split his lip on his teeth when she'd kicked him. It was a little swollen and bruised to accompany the cut.

"Uh, face connected to foot, unimportant." General Hammond was once again surprised by Jack's change of attitude.

"We've received a transmission from Thor. He has been detained on his home planet and will not be returning to P2K 458 for several weeks. This will give us more time to extract other shield and transport devices. I want you to determine the location of as many as possible and I will send another team to remove them when you return."

"Daniel and Teal'c have gone to the temple and will return tomorrow. Carter and I are going back to the caves."

"Ok. Hammond out."

Carter was relieved. Being able to have a team return the devices to the SGC meant that she didn't have to rush her research here and potentially missing something vital. This was turning out to be a great day! Even though Jack was finally cheerful, she still sensed that something was still bothering him. During the night she had overheard some of Daniel's and Teal'c's conversation. Most of it she hadn't heard clearly as they'd kept their voices low. When Daniels voice had gotten a tad louder she'd had to stop herself from laughing out loud when she heard him mention the whole stick up the ass thing. She hoped that everything would return to normal before going home. It had been a stressful few weeks and the Colonel had added to it. She thought that now Daniel and Teal'c had both talked to him and now it was her turn to talk to him. Not right now, when the time was right.

The walk to the caves was lengthened to 3 hours as going to the gate was in the opposite direction. The SGC had sent some of the data from the device they had uncovered and she wanted to return to the camp to pick up her laptop. They were almost at the shore when Jack remembered Daniel's comment about a 'great wave.' He asked Carter if they could check for evidence of large tides. At the treeline Carter started inspecting the area.

"Sir, I can't see any evidence to suggest large frequent tides. There are deposits of sand at the base of the trees which would suggest that at some point the waves did come here, but it's been a while since that happened due to the vegetation growth."

"What about small tides? I know the water came in at least 3ft last night." Carter looked at him curious. She couldn't visualise either him or Daniel sitting around when it was getting dark, especially given what had happened. "I'm not going to go back into those caves unless I can be fairly sure a tide won't come in and trap us. We can't see the entrance from the main cave so I don't want to be blindsided."

"Ok Sir. Show me the entrance you are talking about and where the water was when you left. I can guess how much time we'll have by calculating the differential between the..."

"Carter, walk, not talk."

Once at the entrance to the cave, Jack pointed out how high the water had gone as him and Daniel had left the cave. The edge of the ocean was at most 5 ft away from them right now. Sam wandered around the cave entrance and checked out the other two inaccessible entrances.

"Sir, it doesn't look like the tide came in more than 20ft from it's current location and I doubt it was more than a few inches deep. I don't think we'd be in any danger inside the cave. If the tide did come in faster and higher than we'd expect, we would have more than enough time to exit safely."

* * *

Daniel and Teal'c had arrived at the caves in just over 4hrs. Daniel gasped in awe at the structure. It was built like a small step pyramid and was covered in trees and grass. The entrance was a huge doorway made from red stone and covered in carvings. Daniel dropped his backpack and made haste to the entrance. Teal'c surveyed the area surrounding the temple. It was very apparent that it had not been occupied in a great deal of time. Small, younger trees grew around the pyramid where Teal'c knew they should not be. Rocks and boulders from the cliff behind the temple littered the ground. Some had sprouted moss and other plant life while others looked like they had only been there for a short time. He followed Daniel into the entrance of the temple down a long corridor. Daniel was standing in a large chamber with another shield device in the center of the room. The walls reflected their flashlights and glistened with carvings in all colours. Daniel was standing with his head back, staring. He was startled when Teal'c spoke. 

"Daniel Jackson, this is unlike anything I have seen before."

"Wha, oh, yeah. Great isn't it. um..what's the plan then." Daniel blinked and refocused on Teal'c

"We have approximately 3 hrs of daylight remaining. I suggest we leave in the afternoon tomorrow to have a safe journey back to the camp. That should leave us with approximately 20hrs to examine the temple."

"Great, let's get going. Hey T, what about sleeping in here tonight? I saw all the rocks out there and I'd feel safer in here."

"As would I." Teal'c nodded his head and unpacked their sleeping bags and cooking utensils as he was well aware that Daniel would not cease in his study of the temple until he was falling asleep where he stood.

Daniel pulled out his camera and took some pictures of the walls he wouldn't be able to reach. He would take them back to the SGC and study them in detail.

"Daniel Jackson." Daniel turned around. The shield device was glowing orange again and the small bubble was starting to expand.

"Teal'c, earthquake...It's gotta be."

"I do not feel anything."

"Early warning." Daniel ran over to the bubble and pulled Teal'c inside with him. He grabbed his radio to warn Sam and Jack.

"Jack, Sam, the shield device just activated. I think there's an earthquake coming. Get in the bubble. Do you read?"

"Dan..l... r...peat" came the reply. Shit. The shield was blocking the signal. He jumped up and stepped out of the bubble and repeated his message. Before he could get it all out, the ground began to shake.

* * *

Sam had found a ridge she could climb on and had scrambled up the the spider device on the cave wall. She had tried everything she could to remove it including grabbing on to it and letting her whole weight try to pull it down. The Colonel had yelled his concern as all he had seen was her feet dangling clear of the ridge that she was supposed to be standing on. It wasn't that far off the ground, she rationalized, at a maximum 20ft if even that. Their radio's buzzed into life. 

"Jack, S...shield...activ...quake...bub..e...ead..?"

"Daniel, I didn't copy that, repeat." Jack commanded. As the message started again Jack saw the device glowing and a bubble protruding.

"SAM GET DOWN HERE!!!!!!!!"

Too late. He felt the ground begin to shake. He looked up at Sam who was hanging on to the other device as her feet slipped off the ridge. The shaking knocked him to his knees as he watched in horror. The shaking had loosened Sam's grip on the device and she plummeted to the ground.


	10. Chapter 10

Daniel felt the ground shaking and stopped relaying the message as Teal'c reached out from within the bubble and pulled Daniel in. They both crouched down in a ball, covered the backs of their heads with their hands and waited for the shaking to subside. Within a few moments Daniel poked his head up as he didn't feel any shaking. What he saw amazed him. Everything else was shaking, and shaking badly too. He could hear the rumbling of the earthquake and could see dust from the ceiling fall onto the shield. It landed on the shield and stayed there. He looked over at Teal'c who was brushing his hand near the shield, wanting to touch it, yet not wanting to pierce it. Even though it was almost dark outside the temple, a small amount of light was visible down the hallway. Daniel kept watching the thin sliver of light to assure himself that the exit was still there. He heard large and small rocks falling from the ceiling.

"Daniel Jackson" Teal'c shouted a warning as a small rock fell through the shield, narrowly missing Daniel. Shit the shield was failing. They had to keep their eyes on the ceiling so nothing else would fall on them. Daniel looked up just in time to see several rocks as big as his fist, fall at once. Before he could react, everything went black.

* * *

Damn, his head hurt. What the hell had happened? Daniel opened his eyes and remembered with a jolt. Earthquake, shield, Teal'c. Where was Teal'c? Daniel sat up in a panic. 

"Daniel Jackson. Do not attempt to rise. You have been unconscious for a short while. A rock contacted your head and the wound is bleeding profusely. Lie down." Daniel did as ordered after squinting towards the direction of Teal'c. He was over by their packs but couldn't see what he was doing. Where were his glasses? Teal'c's blurry face appeared in his vision.

"I am going to clean out your wound and place gauze on it to attempt to stop the bleeding."

"Teal'c where's my owwww." Teal'c had poured what felt like acid on the side of his head. Daniel gave up all attempts to talk as his eyes started to water from the pain. When Teal'c was done Daniel slowly sat up. His head swam and he felt his vision going black again. Teal'c noticed Daniel swaying and laid him down again.

"Teal'c where are my glasses?"

"They landed outside the shield and are broken." Teal'c knew that Daniel could not see properly without them and had already recovered them. They were beyond repair.

"My backpack. Front pocket. On left. Black case. New ones." He had a hard time getting his thoughts together as a massive headache was starting to kick in. Teal'c grabbed the new glasses and put the case in Daniel's hand. Daniel had learned shortly after joining SG-1 to always carry around a spare pair on off world missions. Not that they could do much good right now. He couldn't get his eyes to open.

"Teal'c. " Daniel called weakly

"Yes?"

"If I fall, asleep, wake in, 30min."

"As you wish." Teal'c had been around the tau'ri long enough to pick up basic first aid. He started to clear the debris from their belongings and examined the device. It had a few hollows but the crystals had not been damaged. He wandered around and checked the integrity of the chamber walls. Half an hour later he shook Daniel awake.

"Daniel Jackson. You requested I wake you after half an hour. That time has passed." Daniel blinked and looked at his hand. He was holding something. After close inspection he opened it and put his glasses on. That was better. He sat up carefully, as his head was still pounding, and looked around with dismay. Small sections of the ceiling had fallen down taking most of the carvings with them. He took Teal'c's hand and Teal'c pulled him up. He swayed slightly and his stomach rebelled against the vertical position. Teal'c steadied Daniel until he started taking a few steps on his own.

"Teal'c how's the rest of the building?"

"I have not endeavored outside of this chamber yet. I wanted to ensure that the ceiling was not in imminent danger of collapsing."

"Ok, well I feel like some fresh air and... oh, Teal'c what about Sam and Jack? Have you heard anything from them?" Daniel was panic stricken as his memory of the events immediately before he lost consciousness, were starting to return.

"I have not. You were having difficulties sending or receiving a clear signal before the quake. Perhaps the temple is blocking their signals."

"Yeah. Ok. Let's head outside. I want to see what the damage is."

Daniel set a slow pace using the walls to brace himself against as he was still disorientated. Teal'c followed closely behind as a precaution. Outside Daniel took in deep lungfuls of fresh cool air. It had been getting very stuffy and warm inside the chamber. He sat down on the grass and rested his back against the solid wall of the entrance. Teal'c ventured a few feet away with his flashlight. It was dark, almost pitch black. No moon and no stars. Teal'c returned and turned Daniels flashlight on.

"I will return. I am going to check the perimeter of the temple. Do not turn your flashlight off, I will use it to find the entrance." Daniel nodded, eyes closed. He heard Teal'c's footsteps traveling away from him. His head was still swimming, probably aggravated by the short walk. He gingerly put his hand up to his head where the gauze was and was shocked by how long the piece of gauze was. It ran from just above his left ear almost to the top of his head. He winced. Due to his hair, Teal'c had to tape the gauze to his ear, forehead and around the back of his head. He could feel the gauze was damp and becoming unattached. He tried to stick the tape back to his head and wished he'd had his head shaved like Teal'c. He laughed at that thought. If he could wish anything, why was he wasting it on that? He wished he was back at home in his bed. His fingers slipped on the tape and his hand hit the wound. Pain blared through his head. He fought with everything he had to stay conscious and eventually rolled onto the ground, gasping for air. That was no small cut! He stayed where he was, lying on his right side, curled up in a fetal position, as he was incapable of moving.

* * *

That's where Teal'c found him a few moments later. He had run around the exterior of the temple and discovered that the temple appeared to be intact. His other concern had been the sheer rock face behind the temple. Had the shaking loosened any large boulders? He knew he wouldn't be able to see much due to the dark, but he had to check for some peace of mind. He knew he shouldn't leave Daniel alone but they had to be sure they would be safe for a little while. He didn't want to stay where they were, but doubted that Daniel was in any condition to be walking back to the camp that night. He resolved to leave as soon as it was light enough. Teal'c rounded the last corner and saw the beam of light from the other flashlight shinning along the ground. He rushed over to Daniel. He was pale and his forehead felt cool and clammy. Teal'c picked up Daniel, carried him indoors, and placed him on his sleeping bag. Teal'c then grabbed his own sleeping bag and covered Daniel up. He'd heard the tau'ri refer to this strange illness many times. He didn't think this could be serious, but stayed by his side nonetheless. 

Several hours later, Daniel cautiously opened an eye. He felt too warm, and as though he was breathing stale air. Remembering the night before once again, Daniel cautiously sat up.

"Daniel Jackson. How are you feeling?"

"Uh, I've had better days. The headache's mostly gone. My head still hurts though. What time is it? What happened? I remember going outside, sitting down, the gauze..."

"I returned to find you curled on the ground and I brought you inside. I estimate it to be an hour before dawn."

"Teal'c, did you get hold of Sam and Jack?"

"I have not. Were they not at the caves yesterday?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Did you not say there was a shield device in that cave?"

"Yeah, I bet they saw it glowing."

"Perhaps the shield devices disable the radios? I am sure that O'Neill and Major Carter would not risk travelling in the dark to our location. It is most likely we shall see them in the morning." Teal'c was worried, but didn't want Daniel to perceive that. They could do nothing to assist at this moment, and to head towards them in the dark, could be dangerous. Plus, Teal'c doubted Daniel's ability to undertake any kind of lengthy walk currently.

"It is Jack and Sam. They've been through worse." Daniel spoke what he tried to believe. "Should we start walking tomorrow?"

"I would prefer to take a look at the rock face behind the temple as soon as the sun has risen. I wish to see if any boulders may slide down. After, we shall see." Daniel admitted to himself that it made sense.

Daniel swept his eyes around the dimly lit chamber. He was not tired but did not have the energy to start packing up his stuff which was scattered around the chamber. He glanced at the coffee and made a decision. Coffee first, then as soon as it was light outside, go take a look at the cliff face, then head out to Jack and Sam. He busied himself making coffee as Teal'c tidied up their belongings. The moment there was a sliver of light down the hallway they headed outside. Teal'c used the binoculars to inspect any potential hazards.

"So?"

"There appears to be several large rocks that have become dislodged from the cliff. I suggest we pack and leave this area immediately." Just as Teal'c finished speaking the ground started to sway.

"Aftershock." Daniel noticed the ground was barely moving. It had not shaken him to his feet, merely felt as though he was standing on a table with a short leg, wobbling slowly. He heard a crashing in the trees and called out to Teal'c. Several large chunks of the cliff had broken loose and were barreling towards them. On instinct, they both darted inside the temple. The shield was barely glowing, but Daniel and Teal'c hovered underneath the tiny bubble. They could hear what sounded like half the cliff coming towards them, then a deafening thunderous roar as the entrance of the temple collapsed. When the dust cleared Teal'c approached the pile of rubble. The entrance had collapsed completely right up to the chamber. It was blocking the only exit.

"We're trapped." The words came out of Daniels mouth as he saw Teal'c staring at the remains of the hallway.


	11. Chapter 11

Sam hit the ground legs first. She seemed to sink a little then her hips and shoulders hit, then her head landed and bounced off the sand. Despite the intense shaking, Jack abandoned the shelter of the shield and crawled over to her. Small pebbles, rocks and dirt were falling from the small crack in the top of the cave and he crouched on his hands and knees, protecting her head from falling debris. His vest blocked most of the smaller stuff but some of the bigger rocks hit hard. He kept his head as close to his chest as he could, and focused on her face. His position was not very stable with the extreme quaking of the ground, and he had to fight every second not to tumble over. The quake stopped as abruptly as it had started and Jack raised his head to look around.

The orange bubble was gone. He took this as a good sign that they were ok for now. He reached out and felt for a pulse, fearful of what to expect. He found one, weak, but it was there and she was breathing. He sank to his knees in thankfulness. He'd thought she was dead the second he saw her fall. He ran his hands over limbs and torso, checking her for obvious signs of injury, blood, unnatural bulges to indicate broken bones. She had several cuts and scrapes, a few bad gashes on her head and arms, but no broken bones protruding. He breathed another small sigh of relief. She could still have breaks or fractures but now he was concerned about her head.

His stomach rolled as he remembered how her head had ricocheted off the ground. He put his hands in her hair and gently felt for blood and open wounds. Shit, she was bleeding at the back of her head, but he didn't feel comfortable moving her just yet. She was bleeding from her right ear too. Double shit. That wasn't good. He stood up, removed his jacket and placed it over her. He grabbed his pack and pulled out his first aid kit. He didn't want to move her, unless it was absolutely necessary, until she woke up. As he cleaned up the wounds on her arms and the ones on her head he could reach, he talked to her. He talked of anything that came to mind.

"Come on Sam. Wake up. I need you to open your eyes. Please?" Jack was getting very worried. She'd been out for more than 15min.

"CARTER, I order you to open your eyes." Nope, didn't work.

Jack finished cleaning her face and arms and there was still no reaction. He pried open her eyes and shone his flashlight into their blue depths. He watched as the pupils reacted. Ok. That was a good sign. As he turned off the flashlight he noticed the sand Carter had fallen on. It was the same black stuff around the gate. Didn't she say that it was insulating or something like that? Maybe it had cushioned her fall. He shifted position and sat cross legged beside her. A stray piece of hair had fallen over her eyes. He brushed it away tenderly and stared at her face, willing her to open her eyes. It wasn't long before his legs began to cramp, so he stood up and paced around the cave again. Just before he sat down he glanced at the device on the wall. It was blinking. He closed his eyes briefly and opened them thinking now what? It was still blinking, steadily yet slowly. A tiny blue flicker. Jack shook his head and figured there was nothing he could do. He sat down again and took Sam's hand.

"Sam. Wake up. I want you to wake up now. There's this blue blinky light and it's driving me nuts. I can see it out of the corner of my eye. I don't know what it is, so you're going to have to get up and tell me what it means." He paused. He knew the words but didn't know that he could say them.

"Sam, look, I'm sorry I was such an ass. I didn't mean to be, but you know me. Sam, come on Sam." He squeezed her hand. Still no response. "Sam, I swear, if you wake up I'll..."

Her eyes flickered. His heart jumped several beats.

"Sam?"

She gasped, and he could barely hear what she said.

"Jack?"


	12. Chapter 12

"Sam?"

She gasped, and he could barely hear what she said.

"Jack?"

Jack grinned and heaved a huge sigh of relief. Now he could find out how injured she was. He saw her eyes flickering back and forth and knew she was confused. He also saw a flash of fear.

"Sam. It's ok. We're in the cave. You were climbing on the wall and an earthquake hit. You fell and you've been out cold for a few minutes." She seemed to calm down a little. He felt movement in his hand and was shocked to find her hand in his. When had he done that?

"Try not to move. Do you feel pain anywhere?"

"Yes," she rasped.

"Where?"

"Foot, head, back." Jack was relieved that she could feel pain. Not that she was in pain, but that she could sense it.

"Ok. You hit pretty hard. You've got some cuts on your arms and head. Can you sit up?" As he helped her sit up he noticed the blue light had ceased to blink, and was now glowing.

"Sir?"

"I don't know Carter. It started a few minutes ago. Any ideas?"

"Earth, orange, water, blue."

"Uh, what?" Jack was worried. What was Carter going on about?

"Earth shield orange, water shield blue." She felt dizzy and tried to focus. She had a theory and it wasn't a good one.

"Carter, the tide's only a few inches deep, we'll be fine."

"Daniel translated symbol. Great water. Earthquake, ocean, great wave." Focus Carter, focus. She took deep breaths as she felt darkness surrounding her.

"Carter, hang on." Jack laid Sam down and dashed to the entrance of the cave. The tide had not come in. If anything it had gone out. He couldn't see much as the sun was setting over land and the view over the ocean was dark. Jack realised what Sam had been saying and knew instinctively there was nothing they could do. He bolted inside and gently sat Sam up.

"Sam, hey, Sam. Carter." She opened her eyes. "Tsunami. You're talking about a tsunami?"

"Big wave. Yes. After earthquake."

"Sam, stay with me here. Here, have some water." Jack held his canister up to her lips and let a little drip into her mouth. She swallowed and opened her eyes. "Ok, what's the best place to be in?"

"Wall under device. Don't leave cave. Swept away if we leave." She blinked several times to focus her eyes.

"Ok."

Jack could hear the rushing of the approaching wave as he grabbed some of the stuff he'd unpacked. He put his pack on his back and realised that Sam wouldn't be able to carry hers. He wrapped it around the shield device on the ground and hoped that it would stay there. He ran back towards Sam, grabbed her by the waist and helped her up on her feet. He moved so he was directly below the blue bubble with his back against the wall, Sam in front of him, his arms around her and they waited.

The water crashed into the cave making Jack jump. He tightened his grip on Sam as the wave started to flood the cave quickly. As the water started to swirl around his knees, he felt Sam's body start to relax.

"Carter!"

He spoke directly into her ear and instantly felt her body tense again. He was hoping the water in the cave would get high enough to cause him and Carter to rise with it towards the bubble. Not only that, if she passed out he wouldn't be able to hold her up and keep her head above the water for a lengthy period of time. When the water came high enough it would cause them both to become buoyant and make it easier for him to hold on to her for a longer period of time. The water was already above his waist and still gushing in. He gasped at the cold as the water rose up his chest. Jack could feel his feet starting to lift from the cave floor and started to tread water. Sam's head started to drop, but the second the water touched her face she pulled it back up.

"It's ok Sam. I've got you. Try to hold on."

Jack could see the bubble getting closer. He hoped that this was a shield too, otherwise they could drown to death. Not a way he had picked to go. His head popped through the shield and his shoulders followed quickly. As the water continued to rise around the bubble, Jack and Sam did not. They stopped rising when the water was up to his chest, while the water continued to rise around the shield. Sam passed out shortly after getting her head into the shield and Jack concentrated on keeping her head from drooping, and treading water without kicking her. The longer he was in the water, the less cold he felt. His common sense told him that this was because his body temperature was dropping, but for now he was just grateful he wasn't chilled to the bone as he was several minutes ago.

Sam passed in and out of consciousness. She was out for a minute then Jack would feel her muscles tense and knew that she was conscious again. He still had one arm around her waist and he could feel her breathing. A small comfort. It hadn't been long before the slightly acidic water had started burning in his back and knees. He assumed he'd picked up a few nicks and cuts from the earthquake, but it felt like his whole back had been torn to shreds. Sam had many more injuries than him. How much longer would this continue for? He was beginning to feel sleepy and his legs were struggling to keep kicking. He started running through lists in his head: favourite Simpson's episodes, favourite missions, favourite types of cakes, anything he could think of. The water began to recede outside the shield and when it was just below the shield, the shield disappeared. Before Jack could register what had happened, they dropped several inches under the water. He pushed against the wall and surfaced quickly. Sam was coughing violently.

"Sam, you ok?"

She continued to cough. He spun her around and patted her back until she stopped choking. The water took much longer to recede than it had to rise but eventually his feet hit the ground. His legs crumpled as soon as they had to support his weight and pain washed up his legs and around his knees. He sat down hard, dragging Sam with him. He was sitting in water up to his chest, but he knew the worst was over. They'd survived.

He had no concept of how long they sat there and really didn't want to move as he was too tired and cold. His pack was still on his back and due to the haste he'd repacked it, something was jabbing him between his ribs. In his arms lay Sam, her head still on his chest. She had fallen asleep shortly after he had moved to be in a more comfortable sitting position. They were both soaking wet and he could feel Sam shivering. Thinking about it made him feel colder and he started to shiver also. He had to get up and start moving, he needed to get warmer as did Sam. He gently roused her and collected her backpack.

"Where are we going?"

"We've got to get moving. I want to get to higher ground quickly, we can rest later. Come on, on your feet." Sam looked at him sleepily and he knew they had to move soon, before she fell asleep again.

"Carter, on your feet." He knew an order would register and it did. He helped her to her feet and she took a few unsteady steps to her pack. She fumbled with her fingers as she tried to unwrap the pack from the shield. Frustrated she pulled out her knife and cut the last strap which had caught, and swung the pack onto her back.

"You ok Carter?" He hadn't intended for her to carry the pack.

"Yeah, your flashlight work?"

Jack turned his on in response. They walked out the cave carefully. The slight slope down into the cave had been barely noticeable earlier but now the bare rock was slick as ice. Once outside the cave, Jack looked upward. No stars, no light. He had been hoping for some light to help them navigate the trek back to the camp, but luck was not going their way today. Suddenly he felt a small tremor in the ground. He looked in Carter's direction.

"Aftershock." Jack was relieved to hear her voice sounding stronger. "Sir, have you checked in with Teal'c or Daniel?"

"No." Jack pulled out his radio and pressed the talk button. Immediately he got static and a high pitched whining noise. He tried again with the same result.

"Carter, these things are waterproof right?"

"To some extent, yes sir. Why?" Jack held the radio in front of Sam and showed her what the radio was doing.

"Try yours Carter." She fumbled around in her pockets for several minutes.

"Sir, I don't have mine. I can't remember where I had it last." Sam had a look of alarm on her face that Jack hastened to calm.

"Don't worry about it Carter. I'm sure they're fine. They were far enough away, and they'll probably meet us at the camp." Jack was concerned about Daniel and Teal'c but there was nothing he could do right now. His radio seemed to be fried and Carter didn't have hers anymore. They were cold, wet and a long way from dry clothes and warmth. He would look for the others once it was light.

* * *

He estimated they'd been walking for an hour. Carter seemed to be limping, yet hadn't said anything. He was taking a slower pace so as not to push her too much, plus his knees were in agony. A cold breeze had blown steadily on them as they had walked along the shore. He wanted desperately to get into the trees to avoid the breeze as it was blowing over their wet clothes and chilling them to the bone. He knew they had to warm up soon or risk hypothermia. As they walked, he tried to keep a conversation going with Carter. At first it was relatively easy as he just asked a question and she went into detail with the answer. 

"Carter."

"Yes sir?"

"Why do ya think my radio won't work?"

"I'm not sure. It shouldn't malfunction after it's time in the water. We tested these in extreme conditions and they lasted several hours submerged before they died on us. My only guess is that that the acidity of the water played a role. I haven't seen the results of the water sample tests yet so I couldn't say for sure."

"How big do you think that earthquake was?"

"I haven't a clue Sir. I wasn't there for most of it. Bigger than 5.0 I would guess."

"Why did it take so long for the tsunami to hit us?"

"It depends on where the epicenter of the earthquake was and what caused the tsunami. It could've been a huge landslide on the other side of the caldera, or an upward thrust of the ground. Uh, the uh, the waves would've taken time to get to us, longer if ...umm."

"Carter?"

"Sorry sir, lost my train of thought. It would've taken longer if what ever happened was far away from us."

"Do you think the camp was hit?"

"No. I think the camp was high enough."

Jack continued to ask questions and listened to her responses. They had now entered the treed area and the wind was no longer blowing on them, but the damage had already been done. Both he and Carter were shivering and he could hear her voice quiver with the cold. As he continued to ask questions he noticed she began to trip over her words and slow down with her responses. She had slowed down her pace and her limp was becoming noticeable. She continually shifted her pack as if it was too heavy. They needed to stop. Jack spotted a slight clearing at the foot of a large tree. He veered off and dropped his pack. Carter followed him but didn't make a comment.

"Carter. Your ankle bothering you?"

"Wha?"

"Come here. Sit down. " Jack helped her remove her pack and watched as she practically fell down. She was shivering violently and staring off to one side.

"Carter." Her eyes flickered to him, then drifted off again. Jack recognized what was happening and remembered the hypothermic blanket in a waterproof bag which was packed into all their kits. They both had a change of socks, t-shirt and sweater in another waterproof bag. He cursed himself for not remembering earlier. He dug through both packs until he found what he needed. He turned back to Sam to find her leaning on a tree, dozing.

"Carter. Wake up." Carter's eyes shot open.

"Carter, you need to get out of those wet things. Here's a change of clothes." He crouched next to Sam as she took the garments from him. She struggled getting her jacket off. Jack moved in to help her. He removed her jacket, and undid her shoes. As he pulled the boot off her left foot she let out a hiss of pain. The ankle was swollen and a nasty shade of purple. He winced. After he got her warmed up he would look at the ankle.

"Carter, you've got to take off your shirt and put this one on. Can you do that?"

Jack would do whatever was necessary but wanted to see if she could do it first. It could save them both from embarrassment later. She nodded when he repeated his question. When he saw that she wasn't moving he moved to the hem of her shirt. Her eyes widened and she slowly moved her arms. He turned around to give her some privacy. He turned back as he heard her struggling to get the shirt over her head.

"Lift your arms."

Jack pulled the shirt down over her head. Carter seemed to get the drift and slowly pulled her damp pants off. Jack wrapped her in one of the blankets and went to change his clothes. As he pulled off his t-shirt he felt it stick to his back. He must have some wounds there that had bleed or oozed. Not his first priority now. He needed to look after Carter. He draped the wet pants and jackets over a tree branch and grabbed the other blanket. Carter was still shivering, he could hear her teeth chattering. The next step was body heat. They'd done it before in Antarctica. Now it was his turn to keep her warm. He spread the thin blanket over the ground and helped her to her feet. He helped her lay down on the blanket and she curled up into the fetal position. He pulled their packs closer, turned her flashlight off, sat down next to her and pulled the other blanket over top of them. She immediately moved towards him and he curled up with her. Jack didn't realise how cold she was until Sam's flesh touched his. It was like ice. He covered their heads with the blanket to keep the heat inside and put his arms around her. He knew she was asleep when he heard her breathing change. His eyes started to close and he fought it. He needed to make sure she warmed up before he could allow himself to nod off. Slowly her shivering ceased and he fell asleep.

* * *

Jack woke with a start and it took him a few seconds to realise what had happened and who he was holding. He untangled his arms from Sam and got up, careful not to disturb her or the blankets. He checked Carter's pulse. Stronger than it had been last night and her skin was warmer. He left her to sleep and wandered over to his pants. They were still a little damp but he put them on anyway. Next time he was packing a spare pair of pants in his pack, regardless of the mission and he grimaced as he pulled the pants on. It was still dark and cold so Jack started to collect wood for a fire and once a small fire was going, he pulled Carter's clothes off the tree and laid them down so they could dry a little more. Not too long later, he heard the blankets rustling. 

"Sir?"

"Carter, how ya feelin?"

"umm. Ok."

"Carter, you fell from cave wall, got soaked in cold water for a while, and then had to trek here. I need to know how you're feeling."

"Headache, some pain." Jack nodded. He still had to look at the ankle. His main concern last night had been getting both of them warm.

"Carter, I need to wrap that ankle." As Jack spoke he pulled out a tensor and approached. "Stick your foot out."

The ankle taken care of, Jack checked her clothes. Dry and warm. He handed them to her and started to cook some breakfast. As the sun came up the two of them talked about what they should do. Both agreed the best plan was to go back to the camp to see if Daniel and Teal'c were there, and to make sure that their stuff was still there.

"Sir, What if Daniel and Teal'c aren't.."

"Carter. We'll cross that bridge if we come to it." Jack didn't want to think about another plan. That would mean bad things for Daniel and Teal'c.

Jack doused the fire and started packing all their stuff up. He could tell Carter was still a little weak and her ankle wouldn't allow her to walk too fast. He rephrased that in his head. He wouldn't allow her to walk too fast. Knowing Carter, she would ignore the pain, and set a regular pace, possibly causing permanent damage. He grinned, that was just what he'd do too.

* * *

It took them just over an hour to get to the camp as he insisted on stopping several times to rest. Sam knew what he was doing, and while she was grateful to him for being concerned, she wanted to find her friends and team mates. She was worried at the lack of radio contact. She knew they were far enough from the ocean so the tsunami wouldn't have affected them, but what about the earthquake? She still couldn't remember anything from the moment after climbing up the wall, until Jack helped her sit up in the cave. Even then, the memories after were sketchy. She stopped short. Jack? She'd called him Jack? Must be the headache. She steered her thoughts away from a minefield in her brain. She concentrated her mind on the path and obstacles. Fallen tree branches were covering the trail and she was unsure if any of them had the branches with needles on them. Had she warned the Colonel about them? She couldn't remember. 

"Hey Carter. You still with me?" Sam flashed him a small smile.

"Yeah, I was just remembering Daniel stuck in that tree with the needle like leaves on it. He got some ribbing from the guys at the base for that."

"How did they find out?"

"Teal'c. Don't you remember at the gym?"

"No Carter, I wasn't on base at that time." Jack's old anger rised and he choked it down. Not the time or the place.

"Did you ever see the sample we brought back?"

"No."

Carter began to describe the plant to him as they approached the camp. She silenced with dread and fear. What would they find? As they emerged from the trees Cater immediately noticed the tarp, which was under a pile of rocks. The FRED however was untouched. She breathed a sigh of relief as she dug through for her laptop. She remembered how Colonel O'Neill had convinced her to leave it behind. Was that only yesterday? It felt like days ago. She recalled returning from the gate and checking the new data. She had made to pack her laptop and the Colonel had told her not to. He'd told her to play with her doohickeys when she returned. She had wanted to smack him then, now she felt like hugging him. Jack meanwhile was trying to find if they'd brought another radio. He didn't remember one being sent so there probably wasn't one. He turned to Carter.

"Carter."

"Yes Sir?"

"Can use that thing to send a message to Daniel or Teal'c?"

"No Sir. I didn't bring the..."

"Carter, I only needed to hear yes or no. Doesn't look like any one's been here since we left." Carter nodded her agreement as she looked at his apprehensive expression. Where were they? What had happened?


	13. Chapter 13

Daniel realised that he and Teal'c had inspected every inch of the chamber. They could find no booby traps or other unpleasant surprises. Unfortunately, no secret exits or air vents either. They were well and truly trapped. He sat down hard and put his head in his hands. It was getting warm in the chamber and he knew the still air wouldn't sustain them for a long time. He was exhausted. The blow to his head earlier hadn't been helping as he'd been trying to fight sleep for a while. After the exit had collapsed he and Teal'c had started to remove some of the rocks. They hadn't got far before they found huge boulders that they were never going to move on their own.

"Daniel Jackson. I believe now would be a good time for some rest."

Teal'c was concerned about the lack of breathable air, and Daniel had worked himself into a small panic upon discovering the large boulder. Keeping Daniel calm would help lengthen the time they would have air.

"Ok. We'll crash for a little bit, then we gotta get out of here." Daniel yawned before continuing. "We'll find something, there's got to be... another exit."

Daniel had crawled over to his sleeping bag and had crashed in no time. Teal'c took longer to fall asleep. He was in need of rest but wanted to remember how the transport device worked first. He hoped that it could be a way out of here.

Daniel woke up to his stomach growling. He looked at his watch and groaned. Why did he bother? The times were different as was the length of the day compared to Earth. He guessed it was still dark outside and that it was a few hours until daylight. He turned his thoughts to Sam and Jack. They had been in the caves and hopefully the shield device had worked. The caves had been there for many many years and probably had withstood countless earthquakes and he hoped that this one hadn't brought the cave down on them. He rolled over and the slight noise woke Teal'c

"I believe we should attempt to use the transport device to exit this temple."

"Uh. Are you sure about that? I mean we don't know where it goes or if we can get back here."

"We shall not know until we try. I do not see any other options."

Daniel had no response to that so he started to make coffee. He wasn't sure about Teal'c, but he needed to eat before they went anywhere.

"How is your injury?"

"It's still throbbing. Most of the headache's gone though. That must've been some rock."

"It was approximately the size of your fist."

"I want to try to contact Jack and Sam before we go. I know it might not work but I want to try anyway. You never know."

Daniel finished cleaning up and Teal'c packed up their gear. Daniel tried the radio again.

"Jack, Sam, come in."

Nothing.

"Jack, Sam, it's Daniel. Me an' Teal'c are trapped in the temple and we've got no way out. We're going to try to use the transport device to see if we can get out of here."

Nothing again.

"Don't come to the temple. The cliff's unstable. We'll find you guys."

Still nothing.

"Daniel Jackson, I do not think this is working. We should make our attempt to use the transport."

Daniel reluctantly put his radio away and picked up his pack. He joined Teal'c in the middle of the chamber.

"What now?"

"We must stand on the base and push the center" Teal'c pointed to the center of the spherical top of the shield where the bubble had come from. There was a small slightly gold coloured, bump.

"Teal'c that's not going to work. I already pushed it several times on this one, and the other device."

"Were you standing on the base?"

"Uh. No. I don't think so."

"Then we will try this first."

It was a bit of a squash for both men to stand on the pedestal as it was only built for one. Teal'c ended up standing in the center, while Daniel perched onto the edge, held there by Teal'c. Teal'c reached over and pushed the bump. Nothing happened.

"What happened Teal'c?"

"I am unsure. Perhaps the corresponding device is malfunctioning so we can not travel between the two. I will recheck the crystals."

As Teal'c stepped off the pedestal to check the crystals under the base, Daniel stood in the spot that had just been vacated and started looking closely at the bump. His curiosity made him push the gold bump, to see for himself, and there was a flash of white. Teal'c looked up at the device and saw an empty chamber.

Daniel's head hit something hard, and he fought to stay upright. He felt around and concluded that he was on another transport base. He quickly yet cautiously stepped off. He didn't want to know what would happen if he was still standing there and Teal'c dropped in. He dropped his pack and groped around for his flashlight. It was as dark as if he was deep in a mine. True darkness. He had no concept of space and decided to sit down. If there were any ledges or sharp drops he would be dead before he realised what happened. As his hands closed on what felt like his flashlight a blinding light filled his vision. He grabbed his head as waves of pain shot through him.

"Daniel Jackson, are you hurt?" Teal'c had his flashlight on already

"Light sensitivity apparently. I'll be fine."

Daniel pulled out his flashlight, turned it on, and scanned the surrounding area. They were in a tunnel and the ceiling wasn't very high. Teal'c was bent at the waist while he stood. The edges of the tunnel were very smooth and there were no markings on them. Teal'c looked around while Daniel took a closer look at the walls.

"Teal'c, I think these are lava tunnels."

"What is the significance of this?"

"If they are lava tunnels then the volcano has been active since the caldera formed." Daniel paused as Teal'c sat down. "When the caldera forms, the volcano collapses on itself. These couldn't have been here then as they would have been destroyed. At some point the volcano became active again, but it wasn't explosive. More like, oozed lava. The lava would have traveled through the rocks underground and formed these tunnels. The goa'uld must've discovered them somehow and used them for some reason."

"Perhaps to travel from one place to another without being detected."

"Or as a prison. But the fact that they were used is good for us. There must be a way out, either made by the goa'uld or the lava. Maybe this ends at the ocean!"

"So we must follow this in the correct direction.."

"Well, usually there's not just one tunnel, there's many. All ranging in length, and height. It could be like a maze down here. We need to mark the tunnels we try so not to get too lost."

Daniel and Teal'c searched through their belongings to see what they had. At first Daniel had thought of using Teal'c's staff weapon to leave a scorch mark behind, but Teal'c had wisely commented on the blast compromising the tunnel and risk having it cave in on them. Daniel tried several pens and markers that he had in his pack but nothing was bold enough to catch their eye. Toothpaste! That was white and stuck around for a while. Daniel dug out his tube of toothpaste. It was white so it would reflect light well. He marked the wall by the transport device so they would know where they started. It was awkward walking through the tunnels as the ceiling was anywhere from 5ft to 7ft tall and they had to stoop to pass through the lower parts. They did not meet any junctions and kept going in the direction Daniel hoped was towards the ocean. They walked in silence for what felt like hours until Daniel sat down suddenly.

"Teal'c we gotta stop. I need to lie down and stretch my back."

"I too am feeling some discomfort from the low ceiling." Daniel was already lying down and Teal'c sat next to his feet. It wasn't long before Daniel sat up again.

"The ground is really warm! Do you notice that?"

"It is unusually warm for being underground."

"Let's get moving again. I don't want to stay here and find out what's causing the heat."

They walked a short way until they discovered another shield device. Teal'c stood on it and tried to activate it, but it didn't work. Daniel guessed that the distance they had travelled would place them close to the village they had visited when they first arrived on Tefshu. As they had removed that device, there was no twin to this one. One possible explanation as to why it wouldn't work. Shortly after they reached a fork in the tunnel. They took the left tunnel after marking the entrance, and continued until they reached another device. Teal'c once again, stepped on the base and nothing happened. Daniel groaned in frustration and swept his flashlight towards the rest of the tunnel, which ended abruptly. He gasped as the flashlight uncovered what appeared to be some kind of jail. Teal'c turned around at Daniel's gasp and readied his weapon.

"Teal'c. I don't think you'll need that. They're all dead." There were about 10 skeletons scattered on the floor and some were chained to the side of the tunnel. Daniel and Teal'c checked the bodies for signs of how they had died even though Daniel suspected they'd died after being left there.

"These are not goa'uld or jaffa. I think they are human. I see no evidence of a symbiote or any markings on the bones to suggest something attacked them. Several of them have badly healed bones."

"These were men and women. I don't see any small enough to be a child. I wonder what happened."

"This is the possible explanation as to why the transport device would not work from this end. Otherwise the prisoners would escape."

"Ok Teal'c. There's nothing else here. No markings, other than where the chains etched the wall. The tunnel ends here so we should go back and try the other fork."

They returned to the fork and placed an 'X' in toothpaste on the wall of the left tunnel in case they ended up back there. The journey down the second tunnel proved to be more difficult. The tunnel got so small that they had to crawl through and there were many forks to choose from. They wandered around in the maze for several hours and found nothing except dead ends. Eventually Teal'c suggested they rest as Daniel was showing signs of fatigue. Daniel pulled out his sleeping bag. laid down, and promptly fell asleep. Teal'c sat with his back on the wall of the tunnel and kept watch. He was not in need of rest just yet and was unsure about the tunnels and what could be hidden in them.

Daniel woke up complaining it was too warm. Teal'c had noticed a rise in the temperature yet had no idea of what could be causing it. Daniel, without any coffee, could only complain about it. Once more the two weary team mates continued their hunt for a way out. After finding yet another dead end and going down endless tunnels Teal'c spotted another device. He stood on it. There was a small glow but Teal'c stayed where he was. Teal'c stepped down and pulled the cover of the base off.

"Teal'c?"

"It appears to be functional."

"Yet it isn't." Daniel interrupted. He was fed up. He wanted to be out of the tunnels, breathe cool air, and find Jack and Sam. Teal'c raised his eyebrow at Daniel.

"I suggest we retrieve the crystals from the transport device we used initially and use them here."

"Ok. Fine. Let's go."

After a long crawl and walk there and back, Teal'c changed the crystals. He stepped on the pedestal and the bright light appeared. When Daniel's vision cleared, there was no Teal'c. He excitedly jumped onto the base and pushed the gold button.

He blinked several times and saw the light from Teal'c's flashlight. He could see trees and feel a cool breeze brush by his face. He shivered as it had been warm in the tunnels. Teal'c tried his radio again with no response.

"Where do you think we are Teal'c?"

"I do not know. I suggest we wait until dawn and get our bearings then."

Daniel started a fire and Teal'c set up the tent. Daniel, after having a nap earlier, decided to stay up, keep watch, and feed the fire, while Teal'c got some rest. Teal'c traded with Daniel about 2 hrs later so Daniel could get some more sleep.

Daniel was up, and eager to go, as soon as light flooded the planet. They headed in the opposite direction of the rising sun in hopes of finding the gate and then the camp. Teal'c continued to try to raise Jack and Sam on the radio and never got any kind of response. Both quickened their pace with each attempt. It wasn't long before Daniel noticed the black sand ahead, meaning the gate was close. Daniel broke into a run and rounded the last group of trees. he stopped dead. Ahead Teal'c could see the MALP, lying on one side. The gate appeared to be lying down. As they got closer they realised the enormity of the problem. The earthquake must have opened a fissure in the ground and the gate had slipped into it. It was half buried and tipped slightly forward leaning on the DHD. Daniel and Teal'c dashed towards it.

"We gotta dial home. If the gate connects the wormhole may make a big enough hole so we can climb in and leave." The gate was touching the DHD but didn't appear to be putting too much weight on it. Daniel touched the first symbol of his home address. Nothing lit up. He tried again, and again with a different symbol. Teal'c tried dialing an entire address and pushing the big red 'connect' button. The gate and DHD didn't light up and the gate didn't shake. Teal'c opened the panel covering the crystals and dropped it as fragments of the crystals spilled out. Daniel looked at the gate in shock.

"Can we manually dial the gate?"

"No. I would not be able to turn it to each symbol due to it's position."

"Can we use the crystals from the shield and transport devices?"

"No. They would not be compatible."

Daniel sank to the ground. They were screwed. How were they going to get home?


	14. Chapter 14

Carter turned on her laptop as she wanted to check the readings from the seismometers, and if the SGC had tried to contact them after the earthquake. Any data they sent to the MALP could be transferred to the laptop as soon as she set up the receiver. Jack was resetting the tent which had shifted during the earthquake. He turned around and saw Carter with her hands on her forehead looking upset.

"Carter, what's up?"

"Sir, the SGC did not send us any data through the gate. We are several hours late to check in and I had hoped they would've sent something, so I could tell that they tried to contact us. This means we have to go to the gate, explain why we are so late and get new radio's. We've also got to find Daniel and Teal'c."

"Carter, as soon as we've had something to eat, we'll go." While Jack wanted to leave right away, he knew that Carter needed rest. Had he known where Teal'c and Daniel were or if they were ok, he would've ordered Carter to stay put. In the past 24hrs she'd been through enough that he was convinced when they got back to the SGC, Doc Frasier would have her in the infirmary for at least a week. He wasn't about to leave her alone while he went off looking for the other two so he'd see how she felt after a warm meal. Carter checked the seismographs and let out an exclamation.

"Carter?"

"Sir, the earthquake. It measured a 6.7 around the gate."

"Ok. So. Therefore." Jack prompted Carter as she started thinking and stopped talking.

"Sir, that was a pretty forceful earthquake. On Earth a quake that size could do significant damage to a large city. I can't tell where the earthquake occurred yet but it could be bad."

"I don't like bad."

"I don't know yet Sir. I'm going to have to run these readings through a program and see if I can get some results that will help."

"Can it wait?"

"Sir, earthquakes around a dormant volcano are usually quite small. So small that you wouldn't feel them. When a volcano starts to become active, generally the earthquakes increase in magnitude and frequency. I need to see if I can figure out what's going on here."

Jack left her to it. He prepared a warm lunch and gave Carter hers. She thanked him absently and returned to her work. When she eventually laid the laptop on a log and moved towards the tent, Jack became curious.

"Carter. What'cha doin?"

"The program has got to run the numbers and will take a few minutes. I'm still wearing the clothes from yesterday and I need to change." Jack looked down at his own clothes. He also needed to change as his pants were caked in mud and leaves. As Carter entered the tent, he went to the FRED and pulled out a spare set of clothes. He hesitated before pulling his shirt off. He remembered last night and the wounds on his back. If he had reopened them when he changed shirts, he didn't want to do that again. He had no idea of what condition they were in and didn't want to run the risk of reopening them again as they'd never heal that way. He gingerly pulled the shirt off and gulped as his back burned. He hadn't noticed how tender they'd become. He put the new shirt on and decided that Carter would have to take a peek. If the wounds were already infected he needed them to be cleaned out as soon as possible. He heard silence in the tent and stuck his head inside. Carter was out cold. He returned to her laptop, put it on top of the FRED, doused the fire and prepared to wait for her to wake. Not long after, he was nodding off too.

* * *

"Ok Teal'c. I'm guessing this happened during the earthquake." 

"I would assume so Daniel Jackson."

"So that would mean that Sam and Jack would've been at the caves."

"Indeed."

"The likely hood of them already being back at the base is..."

"Limited."

"Then what are we waiting for? We should go to the camp and see if they are there."

Daniel and Teal'c started the trek to the camp. Once they were on the trail, they kept their eyes peeled for any sign that Sam and Jack had been there recently. When they arrived at the point where the paths split, one to the camp and one to the caves, Teal'c noticed something.

"Daniel Jackson. I have found some recent footprints in the dirt. It appears that O'Neill and Major Carter have passed this way."

"Towards the camp? Oh good. Then they're ok."

"The tracks lead towards the cave and they are the most recent."

"They haven't returned then. Which way should we go?"

"We have supplies for another 2 days. We can go back to the camp or towards the caves."

"Caves. They could be trapped. "

Teal'c left a marking on a tree branch to signal Major Carter and O'Neill that he and Daniel Jackson had been looking for them and followed Daniel down the trail.

When they were halfway to the caves the ground became muddy and debris was littering the ground. Had there been a storm? Daniel picked up his pace a little as the trail became worse and more dangerous with every step. He was taking care to look where he was planting his feet, at the same time as scanning under trees and around the area, in hopes that they would spot Sam and Jack. As they neared the shore, Daniel guessed as to what happened.

"Teal'c, remember the translation of the symbol for wave of water?"

"Yes."

"Could it mean a tsunami? It's a giant wave that can follow a big earthquake."

"It could. I have not seen or heard of one before."

"They happen rarely on Earth and can be more devastating than the quake itself. I think that's what happened here. We need to get to that cave, find out what happened."

Daniel and Teal'c walked as quickly as they could towards the shore noticing the devastation worsening as they approached. They knew they were getting close when most of the trees were fallen or leaning precariously. Once at the cave Daniel spotted a thin black strap wrapped around the shield device on the floor.

"Hey Teal'c. Looks like they were here."

"Indeed." Teal'c had found something also.

"What have you got there Teal'c?"

"It is a damaged radio." Daniel looked over as Teal'c removed the plastic and rubber coating.

"It's looks like it's rusted. How could that happen? I mean, it's metal but it would take years for it to rust."

"Was not the water slightly acidic on this planet Daniel Jackson?"

"Yeah, slightly. I have a hard time believing the water would do that in less than a day though."

"Perhaps it came in contact with another substance?" Teal'c placed the radio in a plastic bag and put it in his pack. Daniel wandered over to the tie.

"This looks like the tie off a backpack."

"It appears to have been cut."

"Wonder why it was there." Daniel scanned the cave walls. "Look up there."

Teal'c followed Daniel's gesture and noticed the spider like device attached to the wall. Teal'c placed his pack on the ground, and started to scale the wall. In no time he was hanging onto the device as Daniel looked on in awe Despite his size Teal'c was amazingly graceful and he knew there was no way he would be able to climb up, there let alone deftly.

"It appears to be a similar to the other devices. I can see similarities to create a shield."

"Why's it all the way up there? How would you use it there?"

"I doubt this is a transport device. It would seem to serve only one purpose."

"Which is?"

"I am unaware of it's uses Daniel Jackson. It is currently inactive."

Teal'c climbed down as nimbly as he had climbed up, picked up his pack and prepared to leave. Daniel followed Teal'c out of the cave and noticed water at his feet. The tide had started to come and it was going to get dark soon.

"Teal'c you reckon we could get back to the camp before dark?"

"We will arrive shortly after dark."

"Ok. Let's hur..aagggh."

Daniel took several steps forward and tripped over the smaller device on the shore. He fell flat on his face, rolled over and grabbed his knee and shin. He sat up swearing.

"Daniel Jackson. Do you require assistance?"

"Damn it Teal'c. That hurt." Daniel pulled up the pant leg to reveal a cut just below his knee and a scrape down his shin. It was already starting to bruise. Teal'c hid his amusement. It appeared to be such a small wound compared to ones he'd seen them all endure before, yet he was making a bigger fuss about it. Daniel pulled out his first aid kit, and proceeded to clean up the cut and place gauze on it. Teal'c commnted that they hadn't changed the gauze on his head since that morning, and offered to take care of that. He removed the gauze and parted the hair on Daniel's head. The large gash had stopped bleeding yet didn't appear to be healing yet. Teal'c cleaned out the wound and applied some butterfly closers as Daniel flinched with pain. He then applied a new piece of gauze and taped it back on. Daniel stood up and they started the journey back to the camp again. Due to the delay at the shore, they were less than halfway to the camp when Daniel started to trip with every step.

"Teal'c. I think we've got to stop. I can't see much in front of me and my flashlight's dying."

"I estimate we have perhaps another hour to arrive at the camp. I too am having difficulty navigating around the debris."

"Ok. Tent? Or just sleeping bags."

"We will be warmer in a tent."

Teal'c set up the tent as Daniel prepared a cold supper. They ate in silence and retired early, as the lack of sleep of the past two days was beginning to gnaw at them. Before they fell asleep, both had the same thought. Were were Jack and Sam?

* * *

Jack woke up suddenly. He jumped to his feet and reached for his P-90. What had awakened him? He heard a groan coming from the tent. He opened the flap and saw Carter tossing in her sleeping bag. After learning his lesson last time he woke Carter, he crawled in the tent and gently shook her awake. 

"Carter." She mumbled nonsense in response, so he called a little louder.

"CARTER." That did the trick. Her eyes snapped open.

"Sir?"

"You were dreaming. Not a good one too I'm guessing." She looked at him in confusion so he crawled out of the tent. He relit the fire as Carter emerged and wandered over to her laptop.

"Tired Carter?"

"Apparently Sir. I had a bit of a headache so I laid down. I had no idea I'd be out for so long. What did you do?"

"Oh you know, the usual." Sam smirked to herself. If he had been awake why was he relighting the fire?

"Any sight of Daniel or Teal'c?"

She felt guilty. Instead of looking for them she'd been sleeping. It had been one hell of a headache though. She thought the world had been spinning and couldn't keep thoughts in her head. She didn't remember changing or getting into the sleeping bag, but she had done at some point. The headache was still there, but the pain was manageable now. At least now she didn't feel like she was continually going to fall on the ground.

"No. Do you know how long till darkness falls? We should at least get to the gate, contact the SGC and get new radios."

"I'm guessing we've got just over an hour from where the sun is now. We might now make it there and definitely not back. If Daniel or Teal'c went to the gate they'll more than likely come here first, after checking in with the SGC."

Jack had to agree. Sometimes it was best to stay put when you got separated and he didn't want to be traipsing around in the dark as they could miss the other two and not realise it. They would head out in the morning. Carter became lost in her laptop so Jack started their meal. As he got a whiff of what he was cooking his stomach rolled. It took all of his willpower not to run over and vomit in the trees. He went to the FRED and filled up his water canister from the water jugs they'd packed and attempted to appease his unhappy stomach. Carter shut her laptop and sat down with a frown. Jack handed her a bowl and attempted a few bites.

"What's up Carter?"

"I can't concentrate."

"Headache?"

"Little one." Jack knew she was lying. He could see her eyes shift as she answered.

"How little?" She sighed and answered honestly.

"Not as painful as before, but my head feels fuzzy."

"Fuzzy?"

"I dunno. Like it's full of cotton wool. Nothing on that thing is making sense." Carter pointed at her laptop. "I wrote half the stuff on there and now I can't comprehend most of it."

"Carter, you've more than likely got a concussion. Give your overworked head a break. It's gotta recover." Jack could see her frustration and he wanted to help her, but the few bites of food he'd had were threatening to come back. He made an excuse and dashed off into the trees. When he returned a little shaky he saw Carter wrapped in her coat mere inches away from the fire.

"Carter. You cold?"

"Uh yeah." He could tell she was not focused on his question. She got like this when she had a new idea or doohickey taking all her concentration.

"If you got any closer, you'd be in the fire."

She moved back after glancing in his direction, and in a few minutes shed the coat and moved further away from the heat. Jack watched her as she stood up and wandered towards the clearing in the trees. He wanted to follow her but assumed she had something on her mind and wouldn't want him distracting her. He cleared up the utensils and packed the food away. He watched as Carter walked back towards the laptop on the FRED, in an almost dreamlike state. She shut the laptop without turning it off, and ambled to the tent.

He was curious at her behaviour and hastened to clear up. He threw the remainder of his dinner on the fire to put it out, but another rebellious roll of his stomach delayed him. He staggered into the tent and moved towards her. She was lying on top of the sleeping bag, her face flushed, and fast asleep. He put a hand to her forehead. She was hot to the touch so he grabbed a cloth and some water and went back inside the tent. He poured water on the cloth and applied it to her forehead and neck. He wanted to cool her down before the fever ran too high. They had a few medical supplies but nothing for this. He could only assume that the time in the water mixed with the fall, and the hike back, had caused this.

He cursed himself. He should've stayed in the cave or insisted they stopped earlier. He should've checked to make sure she was ok when she complained about her lack of concentration. Jack felt his headache building swiftly and eventually placed his own head down. He could barely keep his eyes open and whatever could possibly be left in his stomach was warning him of a potential trip outside. Jack took several deep breaths of the cool night air, and willed his stomach to take control. He felt Carter shiver beside him and removed the cloth from her neck. She still felt warm but not as much as she had been before. He fought the waves of sleep that overtook him for as long as he could, checking Carter every few minutes. She'd stopped shivering shortly after he removed the cloth and hadn't stirred since. His head was now pounding and he allowed himself to drift off to sleep.

* * *

Teal'c and Daniel woke up before dawn and with only one working flashlight, they decided to stick to the decision of the night before and wait for light. They wouldn't be any help to Sam or Jack after injuring themselves further by tripping in their haste. They had packed up their belongings, had a cold breakfast and were waiting for the sunrise. It was difficult, just sitting there, as Daniels imagination started creating all sorts of senarios. Teal'c did not appear to be in a mood for conversation as every time Daniel tried to engage him, Teal'c would respond with monosyllables. The second Daniel could see the outline of the trees he was ready to go. They set off cautiously as the ground was still difficult to see clearly. Less than an hour later they emerged from the trees into their camp. Daniel heaved a sigh of relief as he saw Sam's laptop sitting on top of the FRED. He was surprised she hadn't put it away as usual, but brushed that off. He ran to the tent and opened the flap. What he saw startled him. Sam and Jack were fast asleep, cuddled up to each other, Sam facing Jack, with Jack's arms holding her to him. 


	15. Chapter 15

Daniel ran to the tent and opened the flap. What he saw startled him. Sam and Jack were fast asleep, cuddled up to each other, Sam facing Jack, with Jack's arms holding her to him.

* * *

He pulled his head out and blinked several times. Where his eyes playing a trick on him? He peered back into the tent to check. Nope, he was really seeing this. He backed up with a look of surprise on his face. 

"Daniel Jackson, have you located O'Neill and Major Carter?"

"Uh yeah. They're in here."

"Are they uninjured?"

"I didn't check." Teal'c raised his eyebrow.

"What are they doing?"

"Well, they're, um, Sam, well, her and Jack, er..." Daniel moved his hands around trying to explain what he'd seen.

"Are they awake?" Teal'c was getting nowhere with Daniel.

"No."

"That is most unusual."

At Teal'c's comment Daniel came out of his trance. They hadn't opened an eye when he noisily opened the tent and stuck his head in twice. A flutter of panic rose in his chest. He dashed back to the tent and pulled the flap back violently. Teal'c, curious to the cause of Daniel's weird behaviour, took a peek inside. Daniel leaned in and shook both of them. Jack muttered something incomprehensible, but didn't wake. On instinct Daniel reached for their foreheads. They were both burning up.

"Teal'c, they're sick. They're both really warm and I can't wake either of them." Daniel had to move so Teal'c could check them.

"I will assemble the other tent and move O'Neill inside. We shall have more room to care for them."

"Ok." As Teal'c left, Daniel checked their pulses. Sam's was slow and week, while Jack's was faster, yet still week. Daniel wondered how long they'd been like this. They had been alone for two days. His mind ran through what could've caused the fever.

"Daniel Jackson. The tent is ready."

"How are we going to move him? I don't think he's going to wake up and walk."

"Is he in his sleeping bag?"

"Uh, kinda."

"If we secure him in the sleeping bag, we can drag him out of the tent and carry him to the other one."

"Uh sure."

Daniel disentangled Jack's arms from Sam, and put them into the bag, along with one leg that had been sticking out. As he moved Jacks arms he noticed a mark on Jack's back. He pulled the shirt back and rolled Jack on his chest. He shuddered as he saw the wounds. There were several wounds, some an inch long, scattered over Jacks back. It was very apparent that they were infected. Daniel felt his stomach lurch and closed his eyes. No wonder Jack was sick. How had this happened, and was Sam in the same condition? Teal'c suggested that they move O'Neill before anything was done as they'd have more room. Daniel zipped up the bag and allowed Teal'c to take over. Teal'c grabbed the feet and pulled O'Neill out of the tent. Together they carried Jack and placed him down in the middle of the tent. Jack had mumbled when they laid him down but otherwise hadn't stirred. Daniel showed Teal'c the wounds.

"How is Major Carter?"

"I didn't check. I just noticed these on Jack before we moved him."

"I will clean these wounds. If I need assistance, I will call for you."

"K, I'll go check out Carter. You need anything?"

"I have all I need for the moment."

Daniel cautiously entered Sam's tent. He knew he had to check her for injuries, but was nervous about doing so. He gingerly lifted up her shirt and peeked at her back. He found a few minor scrapes, but nothing serious. He pulled up her pant legs and checked her arms, stomach and neck. Her ankle was bound, plus a few abrasions, and all appeared to be healing. The only thing he found that was of concern, was a large lump on the back of her head. Daniel shook Sam gently a few times. Eventually she opened her eyes and stared vacantly at him. He tried to talk to her but she looked around and closed her eyes again. He grabbed his water and started trying to cool her down.

Meanwhile Teal'c was cleaning out O'Neill's wounds and he was thankful that O'Neill was not awake. Teal'c knew from looking at them it would be a painful process to clean them and dress them properly, and if O'Neill had been awake and incoherent he would've had to hold him down. When he poured water onto the large wound in between O'Neills shoulder blades, he heard a slight hissing noise. Jack groaned and tried to roll away. Teal'c tried on a different wound and the same thing occurred. He called for Daniel

"What's wrong Teal'c?"

"I am unsure. There is something in these wounds that is causing great pain when I apply water. Do you think that O'Neill and Major Carter were caught in the wave?"

"They could've been. I saw a pair of Jack's pants on the FRED as if they were left to dry. Why?"

"The analysis of the water sample revealed that it was acidic, yet the compounds were unknown to Major Carter. Can you access the information on the laptop?"

"Yeah, some of it. I'll go grab it."

"Is there not another first aid kit on the FRED with more supplies?"

"Yes, you want that also?"

Teal'c nodded and Daniel dashed over to grab the requested items and returned to Teal'c. He stepped inside the tent on the opposite side of Teal'c with Jack in the middle. He passed the kit to Teal'c, and opened the laptop. It started immediately, and as Daniel hunted for the correct files, Teal'c dug through the first aid kit. On longer missions a team was sent off world with an extra kit and it contained more of what they already had, plus a few extras.

Teal'c knew that Dr. Frasier had added some antibiotics after a mission with SG-11 had gone sour recently. One of the newer members had been injured yet it hadn't seemed more than a small scratch at the time. It became severely infected within a few hours and the team had been more than a day's walk from the gate. The lieutenant had survived thanks to his team's quick retreat to the gate, but a small selection of antibiotics had been added to the larger kits afterwards.

"Teal'c, I've found the results but I don't know what I'm looking for."

Teal'c reached for the computer and carefully scanned the files. He had an excellent memory, and as he read Major Carter's files, he could recall the conversation they'd had in her lab after the results had been returned to her. They had spent some time discussing the results in the hopes that Teal'c had encountered one or more of the unknown chemicals before.

"I suspect that one or more of the chemicals in the ocean water has crystallized in O'Neill's wounds. In the tests Major Carter and Dr. Felger performed, there were chemicals that, in crystal form, reacted to human skin and fluids."

"How did you figure that one out?"

"Dr Felger accidentally touched one of the tests and received a chemical burn, yet the same substance did not react to water and many other common fluids. The scientists did not know whether it reacted to skin or the oils and fluids on the skin, and had not finished testing it before we returned here."

"Ah. So, what does this mean for Jack?"

"If he does indeed have one of these crystallized chemicals in these wounds we must remove them immediately. If we wait too long the infection will spread, and without medical attention, he could die."

"Ok. What do we need to do?"

Teal'c explained what he wanted Daniel to do. As there was a good chance O'Neill would be roused by the pain, Teal'c wanted to have his hands free to restrain him if necessary. That meant that Daniel had to scrape the wounds clear. Daniel paled at Teal'c explanation of what he needed to do. Had the gate been functional, they would've let the SGC take care of Jack with the right tools in a much better environment. The enormity of the situation hit Daniel full force. He'd been stranded before, but never with two teammates as sick as Jack and Sam were now. Usually Sam was conscious, and had the ideas and ways out of the situations they commonly found themselves in. Neither Teal'c or Daniel had done anything like this before. Daniel took several deep breaths as Teal'c prepared all they would need and prepared to hold O'Neill down.

"Let's get this over with."

* * *

Jack was out cold. Daniel was thankful as he sat vigil. The hour or so it had taken him and Teal'c to remove any chemicals from his wound, had been one of the most unpleasant experiences he could remember. Jack had started to thrash around and shouting in English and Arabic before eventually passing out. They had dressed the wounds and allowed Jack to sleep. Once he woke, Daniel had to get him to swallow some of the pills Teal'c had handed to him. He had stayed with Jack as Teal'c checked on Sam. She had woken several times and had accepted a few sips of water. Teal'c assumed that Sam had been caught in the cold ocean and had developed a fever. They just had to sit and wait for it to run it's course. Daniel shifted his position. He didn't want to leave Jack but he wanted to check on Sam. He yelled across to Teal'c in the other tent. 

"Teal'c."

"Yes Daniel Jackson."

"Wanna trade?"

His answer came in the form of Teal'c entering and sitting down.

"Major Carter's fever is not as severe as O'Neill's. Give her water every time she stirs."

"Ok. Jack, well he's not moved. Here's the pills."

Daniel handed over the pills and crawled out. He entered the other tent to find Sam's eyes on him.

"Hey Sam. How you feeling?"

"Cold."

"Ok. Anything else? You hurt?"

"Thirsty."

Daniel held the water canister to her lips and allowed her to take several small sips. She swallowed and closed her eyes, falling back to sleep. He brushed the hair from her still hot forehead and placed his sleeping bag over her. Night was approaching and Daniel remembered his flashlight needed batteries. He went to the FRED and grabbed some dinner for himself and Teal'c and batteries. He stopped by Jack's tent to give Teal'c his meal and to check on Jack. His fever hadn't worsened, but hadn't broken either and Jack still had to wake up. Teal'c proposed he stay with Jack for the night, and Daniel with Sam. Daniel trudged back to Sam and ate as much of his meal as he could. As night fell, Sam awoke again.

"Daniel?"

"Sam, you ok? You want water?" Sam nodded and took the water from him and he propped her head up.

"Better," she gasped. "What happened?"

"I don't know. Teal'c and I found you and Jack this morning. How did you get sick?"

"I was sick? I don't know. I can't remember." Daniel could see she was tiring and didn't ask more questions. Sam made a feeble attempt to move Daniel's sleeping bag and complained she was too hot. Daniel moved it for her as she nodded off again. He laid down and relaxed. Sam was recovering.


	16. Chapter 16

Sam slept through most of the next day. She woke and asked for water several times, but by evening, wanted to get up. She still couldn't remember how she and Jack got sick. The last thing she could remember clearly was going to the caves. Daniel helped her out of the tent towards the fire. He offered her something to eat and she ate some to Daniels relief. When he noticed her tiring, he suggested she go back to bed. She agreed without argument, which was a sign that she still had some recovery to go. Jack, while he had roused several times for water, was not aware of where he was or who he was with. He had frequent nightmares or hallucinations and voiced himself only then. Teal'c had endured some of the more violent hallucinations from Jack's past, where Jack had attempted to take a weak swing at him. The one or two Daniel had witnessed, Jack was calling out Sam's name in a terrified voice, and apologizing profusely to his team. He had mumbled on several occasions that Frasier was right. He would listen to her. Daniel tried to calm Jack down in all circumstances, yet wondered what was going on. Why was Jack apologizing to them? What had happened with Janet? Teal'c was at loss to explain Jacks ramblings also.

* * *

The following morning Sam woke early, just after dawn. She sat up and stretched the kinks out of her back. Remembering what Daniel had told her, she'd been sleeping on the ground for a few days. She wandered over to the FRED and grabbed a fresh set of clothes. She freshened up using the icy cold water stored on the FRED and she felt more alert than she had the previous day. She busied herself getting a fire started and putting water on to boil for coffee. She knew she was still week as her legs shook if she stood too long. She sat down as the coffee brewed and concentrated on what had happened. She knew the memories had to be there, if she could only bring them to the surface. 

Daniel stepped out of the tent when he smelt the aroma of coffee. He had not had any in at least a day and his mouth started watering the second his nose picked up the fragrance. He saw Sam sitting by the fire, lost in thought.

"Hey Sam. You're up early."

"Yeah, I've spent enough time sleeping I think. How's Colonel O'Neill?"

"Not much better, but not any worse."

"I gotta ask Daniel. Why didn't you take us home?"

"Do you remember what happened yet?"

"Some flashes but not much. What does that have to do with not going back to the SGC?"

"Answer my question, then I'll answer yours ok. Please Sam? What do you remember so far?"

"Ok. I remember everything until going to the caves. I have a vague memory of a device on the wall. I think I was holding onto it and I fell. Next thing I'm pretty sure happened, but I think I was in deep water. Cold water. We were there for a while."

"You and Jack in deep water?"

"Uh, yeah. I think the Colonel was there. I'm not sure. Then I remember walking, talking to him, in the dark. I don't know where we were going, I just remember answering questions."

"What kind of questions?"

"I can't recall the conversation. I think I was tired. Then nothing until you offered me some water. What happened?"

Daniel went over what happened to Teal'c and him. He recounted the earthquake, the collapse of the temple, and the trek through the tunnels. When he got to the part with the gate, he paused.

"Daniel, what's wrong?"

"I have no idea how big that earthquake was, but it was big enough. We arrived at the gate to find the ground had cracked."

"Cracked?"

"Like a giant crack in the ground. It ran for a mile or so and it was just the width of the base the gate is on, in some sections."

"And the gate?"

"Well, the gate sank a little. It's half buried in the crack."

"Ok, well that doesn't sound too bad. We can dial Earth and the kawoosh will create a hole big enough that we can climb through the event horizon."

"Sam, we tried. The DHD, well, it's toast."

"What do you mean toast?"

"The gate must've hit it, or the earthquake damaged it, but the crystals are broken. Teal'c opened the door on the control pannel to find out why nothing happened when we tried dialing but the crystals fell out in fragments."

Sam buried her head in her hands. She was overwhelmed easily with thoughts flowing through her still tired mind. There had to be a way to activate the gate.

"Did you try dialing manually?"

"We can't. The gate is tipped forward so the inner ring won't move. We'd have to pull the gate out to use it."

Sam stood up and wandered to the clearing where she sat down. With her binoculars she could make out the gate but couldn't see it in detail. Daniel left her alone to think and she was grateful to him. She wanted to leave that instant for the gate and find out for herself what had happened. She knew Daniel wasn't exaggerating the problem, but seeing it with her own eyes would give her a better visual to work with. However, if she went, Daniel or Teal'c would have to come with her. If the gate could be pulled out or tipped back, it would need all four of them working on it. Thinking about how tired she was walking from the fire to where she sat, she doubted she'd be able to make the two hour trip to the gate and back, on her own two feet. She had to recover her strength a little more before trying something like that.

As she sat there thinking, a memory flashed into her mind. She remembered returning to the camp and opening her laptop. Why hadn't she thought of it earlier? The laptop would've recorded the earthquake Daniel spoke of. Unsteadily she got to her feet and searched for the elusive laptop. When she asked Daniel, he absent mindedly told her it was in Jacks tent. She opened the flap and asked Teal'c for it. She was shocked at what she saw. Jack was lying on his front with his back exposed. Several ugly oozing wounds spotted his skin which was red and tender looking. Sam turned away abruptly and stalked as best she could over to Daniel.

"Why didn't you tell me how bad Jack was?"

"Uh, what?" Daniel came out of his trance to see an angry and pale Sam standing in front of him.

"You told me he was sick like I was, a fever but it was getting better. That's not getting better. What the hell happened to him?"

"Sam, we didn't tell you as we didn't want you to worry. I wanted to make sure you were much better before I told you. Yes, he's sicker than you. We don't know what happened and were hoping you could tell us."

"What's wrong with his back?"

"Teal'c thinks he got those wounds during the earthquake. We think they got infected after you guys went into the water. Sam, what's wrong?" Sam had another flashback.

"We were in the water, in the cave. It was really deep and rushing in. He was holding me up. There was a blue light..." Sam trailed off.

"A blue light?"

"I'm not sure. I remember a blue light. Don't know where that fits in."

"When we looked for you at the caves there was evidence that the ocean came far inland. It caused trees to topple over and left debris all over the place. I think it was a tsunami."

"That would make sense."

"Do you remember the research you did back at the SGC with the water? Teal'c said there was an incident where Dr. Felger got some stuff on his hand."

"Yes. He forgot to put his gloves on and dropped the test tube. The crystallized chemical fell out onto him and burned his skin."

"What happened?"

"An airman took him to the infirmary. Why?"

"Any knowledge of the treatment he received could help Jack right now."

"I'm sorry. I stayed behind and tested the chemical further." Sam looked upset instead of angry now. Daniel sat next to her and put his arm around her shoulder in a brotherly way.

"Hey, it's not your fault. We tried to look at the info on your laptop about the tests but Teal'c only understood some of it and the batteries went dead."

"I can charge them."

"You want me to go get the laptop?" Sam had left it in Teal'c's hands.

"No. I'll get it."

Sam walked back to the tent, knowing what to expect this time. She received a slight nod from Teal'c as she crawled in.

"How is he Teal'c?"

"He is no worse."

Sam took a closer look at the wounds on his back as Teal'c stepped outside. She uncovered some of the bandages and catalogued everything she saw. She didn't want to have to have another look if she couldn't help it, as her stomach wasn't settled yet. She stepped over him to see his face. He was warm and beads of sweat decorated his forehead. She grabbed the damp cloth and wiped his face and neck. His face twitched and he stirred slightly.

"Sam?" He opened his eyes and focused on her.

"Jack?" She subconsciously matched his voice as she barely whispered.

"You?"

"Yes, it's me."

"Ok?"

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me. You've got to concentrate on recovering."

"Sorry."

"For what?"

"Me."

"What about you?"

Sam was confused. What was he talking about? He moved his arm and placed his hand on her knee.

"Real?"

"Yes I'm real. Jack what's..."

"Lead."

"Lead what?"

"Team."

"Lead the team? Sir, only until you're back on your feet."

"No."

"Jack..." He closed his eyes and drifted away again.

After checking his pulse and breathing to make sure he was still with them, she grabbed her laptop and left the tent. She needed to figure this out before they couldn't help him.

Daniel noticed Sam's red eyes as she returned to the fire, but wisely didn't say anything as he took up the watch with Jack. She sat next to Teal'c so he could provide assistance, and plunged herself into her work. They went over the tests previously done to see if anything counteracted the acid crystals. Sam started at the beginning and double checked all the formulas and all variables, coming up with nothing new. Towards the evening Daniel encouraged her to take a break as he didn't want her to become sick again. In all likelihood, Sam would be the one to figure out how to get the gate working again, and she couldn't do that if she became sick again.

"Why don't I have the same injuries as the Colonel?"

"I don't know. You do have some scratches but they're not the same size. They almost look like mine from that damn plant but nowhere as deep or as many."

Sam's eyes widened as Daniels words triggered her memory. She was walking in the dark. Her ankle was shooting waves of pain up her leg, and her head was pounding. She stumbled and reached out automatically for something to break her fall. She felt a slight stinging in her arm as she regained her balance. Jack had grabbed her arm and kept her on her feet.

"Daniel, where's my jacket?" Daniel heard the urgency in her voice.

"I think it's in the tent. Why?"

Sam rushed to the tent and recovered her jacket without responding to Daniel.

"Daniel, where's your flashlight." Daniel pulled it out. "Shine it on the jacket. I need to see something."

As Sam moved the jacket over the right sleeve Daniel noticed a slight tear just above the elbow. Sam had a corresponding scratch on her arm over top of another small cut.

"Sam, what are you thinking?"

"The tree Daniel. I had that other cut before we went into the caves. I had taken off my jacket during the walk from the camp and when we got into the cave I remember I climbed the wall. I scraped my arm getting up there. Why didn't this wound get infected from the water like the Colonel's did?"

"Not a clue."

"It's got to be the needles from the tree. There must be something in them that counteracts the chemicals in the water. When I fell and scratched my arm, something from the plant must've transfered to the cut and prevented infection from setting in."

"Could there have been something else?"

"I can't remember but we should try this."

Sam called Teal'c from the tent and explained her theory to him. He agreed that they should attempt to retrieve the plant and use it on O'Neill. Sam jumped up and made as if she was going to head out right then.

"Sam, it's dark. We can't go now."

"Why not?"

"Sam, you're exhausted and you aren't thinking straight. We can't go rushing off into these woods, in the dark, to find a tree. We could get lost, or fall, or get attacked from one of those trees."

"Jack needs..." Sam's frustration was evident in her stance and voice.

"Jack will be ok for a few hours. We'll get some rest and you an' Teal'c can head out at dawn. We can't help Jack if you guys get lost or injured."

Daniel crossed his fingers as he told Sam that Jack would be ok for the night. He had no idea if Jack was going to start to get better or not. Ever since they'd cleaned out his wounds Jack had gotten worse very slowly. His temperature rose and he hadn't had more than a few sips of water in a few days. Daniel was worried, but he wasn't about to let Sam take off in the dark for any reason. He and Teal'c talked to Sam until she calmed down. They made plans for the morning and eventually Sam went to sleep. Daniel watched over Jack so Teal'c could get some rest.


	17. Chapter 17

At dawn Teal'c and Sam were ready to go. They checked the two remaining radios and agreed to check in every half an hour. Teal'c had suggested they take their packs in case of an emergency and Sam, without knowing why, packed an extra set of clothes in a waterproof bag. They set off towards the closest area of the needle trees, which according to Sam's maps, were along the shore, south of the caves. They had not explored this area before, so they took extra caution as to where they placed their feet. As they reached the start of the devastation, Sam looked around in shock. The Colonel and her survived this somehow in a cave. Sam suddenly tripped and Teal'c grabbed her.

"Major Carter, are you injured?"

"No Teal'c. I just had a feeling of falling."

"You did fall."

"No, from before. I fell."

"Where?"

"In the cave. I don't know when. I just remember falling."

"Perhaps this is the cause of your memory loss."

"Maybe."

They continued the hike in relative silence only speaking when Sam indicated a change of direction. They arrived at the trees just under an hour after leaving the camp and approached carefully. Sam remembered what happened to Daniel, and wanted no such incident to happen today. They'd had enough problems this mission to last them several more. Surely their luck would change. They collected several samples and Teal'c insisted they rest and take the opportunity to have lunch. She was sitting on the ground while Teal'c had chosen a seat on a rock, overlooking the ocean. There was no breeze and they sky was unclouded. Sam used her binoculars to scan the area. She could see land in the far distance on once side of the expanse of water. South of land, there was nothing. Slightly purple sky against the turquoise water.

Despite her urgency to return to the camp, she was relieved to rest, if even for a short while. She wasn't up to full strength yet, and had they not stopped, she wasn't sure she would've been able to get back before dark. Teal'c stood up and prepared to climb the short distance down to her when Sam felt the ground shift. Automatically she sat back down, knowing that if she stood, she would fall. Teal'c, already on his feet, attempted to find his balance and lost his footing on the rock. He landed on the grass a few feet below. The earthquake was over before Sam had registered Teal'c's tumble.

"Teal'c, are you ok?"

"I am uninjured Major Carter."

"Good thing we weren't up higher."

"It was indeed fortunate." Teal'c brushed himself off and looked back and the distance he'd fallen. His head was level with the place he had been sitting. He pulled his radio out and checked in with Daniel.

"Daniel Jackson. Are you and O'Neill secure?"

"Teal'c. Yeah, we're fine. Jack hasn't moved, well, he did, but he hasn't moved on his own yet." Sam almost laughed out loud at Daniel's comment. He sounded a little frazzled.

"Daniel, we're ok too. We'll be back soon. Carter out."

"Major Carter, I was under the impression that this volcano would not produce strong earthquakes."

"Well, we had inaccurate readings at the SGC and inadequate data. In order to determine a more accurate risk we would've had to study the area for many years. Even then, volcanoes can be unpredictable. This volcano could just be letting off some steam, or it could be a warning for things to come."

"This is not something you could predict?"

"No Teal'c." Sam was beginning to look upset and guilty.

"Then it is not your fault. There was nothing you could have done to prevent this from occuring. We must concentrate our efforts on returning home safely."

Sam smiled gratefully at Teal'c. Her thoughts during the day had been dwelling on the if only's. If only she hadn't pushed to come here. If only she hadn't wanted to go to the caves. If only they had returned to the SGC when they realised the seismometers had not been recording accurate information. If only, if only. It wasn't getting her anywhere and Teal'c was right. She couldn't do anything to prevent their current situation, and should focus her mind on getting them home.

* * *

Daniel heard them arrive and was relieved. Jack had gotten worse during their absence. He was hotter to the touch, and after the earthquake had moved him around, had started raving and reliving violent memories of his past. Daniel had struggled to keep him still and not lying on his back. While they had been wrestling, Jack had irritated his wounds more. There was blood on Daniels shirt as he had overpowered a weak Jack and held him still. Jack had finally sank into unconsciousness a few minutes before their arrival. 

"Daniel, what happened? Your shirt!"

"Jack started hallucinating after the earthquake. I had to hold him down before he hurt himself more."

"Is he sleeping?" Sam strode over to the tent and looked on Jack.

"I think he's unconscious. Let's just try this stuff. I don't know how much longer he can last like this."

Daniel was clearly drained. Watching the unbeatable Jack O'Neill thrash around in delirium had been distressing to say the least. Teal'c took over his spot and Daniel went to clean himself up. After changing his shirt and splashing water on his face and arms, he went to see if he could assist Sam. She was crouched over two rocks and appeared to be grinding the needles.

"I don't know what part of the plant is going to be useful."

"Why not try all of it? I thought you were just going to put one 'leaf' into each wound."

"I don't know if that will work. It's been several days since he was hurt. A more potent dose may be needed. I was going to try several things."

"Like..."

"Well, the needle in the wound will be the first one, then I want to add the entire crushed leaf, and also just the tip. If we try those three at the same time, we may be able to help him quicker."

"Isn't that going to hurt?"

"Can't be much worse than what he's feeling now."

"Why not just one at a time?"

"Daniel, I don't think he's got much time left. We've got to get his temperature down and get rid of this infection. Nothing has worked so far. We've got to try everything we've got and soon."

"Ok. What can I do?"

"Here."

Sam had him take over for her. She explained she wanted the leaf to be a similar consistency to thick mud after adding water, if possible and started crushing just the tip of the needle with two more rocks. As soon as Sam was satisfied with the paste of both samples, she scooped as much into bowls as she could. They joined Teal'c in Jack's tent with Teal'c on one side, Daniel and Sam on the other. It was very tight on space and Sam became nervous. She explained to Teal'c that she wanted to smear a wound with each paste, and use the whole leaf on another. Teal'c rolled Jack onto his stomach and prepared to hold him down if necessary. Sam took a deep breath and stuck the needle into one of the smaller wounds. Jack cried out but couldn't move under Teal'c's grasp. Daniel smeared his paste onto another small wound as Sam did with hers.

"Now what?"

"We wait. If it's going to work, we should see results by the morning."

"Should we cover the wounds you have treated Major Carter?" As Jack had not moved, Teal'c had let go of him.

"Uh. I don't know. If he starts to move around we should, otherwise the paste won't stay there long enough to do anything."

"Ok. So what are we looking for specifically Sam?"

"I ugh."

Jack had twitched and kicked Sam, who was sitting by his feet, in the stomach. Sam paled and grabbed her mid section.

"Sam, you alright?"

Sam grunted in response. What little she had in her stomach she was trying to keep there. She backed up as much as she could as Jack twitched again. He moaned and tried to roll over. Teal'c grabbed his legs as Daniel held his arms. Jack writhed in pain and opened his bloodshot eyes. Sam stared in shock at the haunted look on his face. She shook herself as Daniel exclaimed.

"Look at his back!"

"Where?"

Daniel pointed to the wound with the paste of only the tips of the needles. It looked like it was bubbling very slightly.

"Sam?"

"I don't know Daniel."

"Perhaps this is the treatment working." Teal'c commented.

"I dunno, are we sure? We don't want to make this worse." Daniel was slightly paniked. Jack was still twitching, writhing and groaning in pain. His eyes rolled back into his head and he passed out. Sam's hands shook as she pondered Daniel's question. She didn't want him to get any worse, but she had no other ideas.

"I think we should give it the night. If he gets dramatically worse overnight we'll remove this stuff. Keep in mind his fever may rise before he gets any better."

"Ok. I'll stay with him until dark."

"Thanks Daniel."

"I shall stay with O'Neill overnight." Teal'c could see exhaustion creeping into Sam's face, and Daniel had been with Jack for most of the day.

"Teal'c, I'll take some of the night. You need sleep too."

"Thank you Major Carter but I sleep lightly, so if I stay with O'Neill, I will awaken if he stirs. I will be able to get rest during the night."

"How many days are we overdue to return to Earth?" Sam was still missing a day or so in her memory and was trying to figure out a timeline.

"I think we are 3 days overdue."

"That is incorrect Daniel Jackson. It is in fact 4 Tefshu days we are overdue."

"Where did I loose a day?"

"You returned to the SGC on the third day after the collapse of the hut. Perhaps you are confused due to the time difference between the two planets."

"Yeah, maybe. I'm sure they'll have someone on the way already. They've probably contacted Thor and told him what happened."

"When the Colonel and I checked in the morning of the earthquake, General Hammond informed us that Thor had been delayed so I don't know if he'll be able to help."

"What about the Tok'ra or the Free Jaffa?"

"I haven't talked to my Dad in a while. He's been away on one of their missions. He left as soon as he had recovered from being at the Alpha Site."

"I also have not talked to Bra'tac for some time and I have not had contact with the Free Jaffa since we first encountered the supersoldiers."

"So, we're on our own for the time being. We should look at how much food we have and ration it."

Teal'c and Sam started pulling all the edibles out of the FRED as Daniel returned to Jack. Sam was surprised at the amount of food. They had much more than she had expected, as she hadn't taken into account that her and the Colonel hadn't eaten much at all in the past few days. She and Teal'c took inventory, and if they stretched the supplies, they had enough for 3 or 4 days. Sam sighed. While that was enough for now, if rescue or returning to Earth took longer, they would need more. She would rather find another supply of food before they ran out. Teal'c had checked the water jugs. If they only used to water to cook and drink they would have enough for several days. He too wished to find another source.

As the day became dark, they cooked a meal for themselves and Daniel and joined him at the tent. There wasn't enough room inside, so Daniel sat at the entrance, with Sam and Teal'c sitting on the ground around the tent. They discussed the need for a supply of food and water. Daniel looked at Sam's maps as they discussed a plan for the day. There was a larger settlement south of the gate, and Daniel assumed there would be something there that would've sustained the population that had lived there. Daniel guessed that if they walked around the heavily forested area's it would take and hour and a half. Sam suggested going into the forest as they would be more likely to find edible plants. Teal'c agreed. Sam immediately expressed her desire to go, as she would be able to look at the gate. Daniel also wished to go, as he could look around the village to see if there was anything of use to them there. Teal'c volunteered to stay the day with Jack. The following days activities planned, Sam and Daniel doused the fire and went to bed. Teal'c crawled back into Jack's tent to wait and see if the darkness would bring a change for O'Neill.


	18. Chapter 18

"Major Carter. I require your assistance."

Teal'c's quiet voice somehow always got through to her, no matter how deeply she slept. Sam opened her eyes and saw Teal'c's flashlight shining through the tent. She climbed out of her sleeping bag and joined Teal'c in the crisp night air.

"Teal'c. What's wrong? Is Jack ok?"

"I believe one of the treatments have worked."

They rushed back to Jack's immobile form. He was lying on his side, on top of his sleeping bag, and appeared to be sleeping, not unconscious. Sam leaned over and placed a hand on his forehead. He was still hot but not as much as before. They rolled Jack over so she could inspect his wounds. Several hours earlier his back had been red all over. Everywhere there was a wound, a red circle had developed around it, swelling, and spreading until it joined another. One wound's red spot now appeared to have shrunk. Sam carefully traced the shrinking red zone with a finger and Jack winced. It was still swollen, and tender apparently, yet the wound itself seemed to be healing. The discharge was now almost clear as apposed to the yellowish colour it had been before.

Teal'c grabbed the bowl of paste with the crushed needle tips and passed it to Sam. She stirred it a little and added a drop of water. Teal'c got ready to hold O'Neill down if necessary. Sam looked into his steady eyes, and saw the faith he had in what she was doing, shining out. She steadied her hands and began to apply the paste. Jack continued to sleep for almost a minute. Suddenly he let out a hair-raising scream. Sam's heart felt like it leapt out of her chest and almost dropped the bowl. Teal'c firmed his grip on Jack as he began to squirm and struggle weekly.

"What the hell happened?"

Daniel's sleepy face appeared at the tent doorway. He saw Jack's legs kicking feebly, grabbed them and held them still. He remembered the one good kick he had gotten last time. Jack's legs went limp under his hands as he passed out. He looked at Sam who looked like she was going to be sick.

"Sam, you alright?"

"Yeah, just a little distressing to hear that."

"No shit. Scared the crap out of me. Back to my original question, what's going on?"

"Teal'c woke me as one of the formula's seems to have worked. So I'm applying more to the other wounds."

"All at once?"

"Daniel Jackson, must we not curb the infection promptly?"

"But that's putting him in enormous amounts of pain! Why not heal a few then wait a bit?"

"Daniel, Jack's out cold now. If we do it all now, we'll spare him the pain later when he starts to heal. It's over with in one go. Hopefully he'll recover quicker this way."

Daniel took a close look at Sam. Her face looked tired and weary, and she was trembling. Why? From fatigue, or from stress? He paused as he realised that getting this all done tonight would allow Sam and Teal'c to do this unpleasant task only once. Otherwise they'd have to repeat it, and next time Jack could be more alert. He sent Sam a slight nod of agreement and took a position at Jack's feet. Sam closed her eyes and willed her shaking hands to cease, and focused on the task at hand.

* * *

Relieved, Sam curled up tighter in her sleeping bag. After finishing putting the paste on Jack's remaining wounds, she had stayed for a short while. Teal'c had gently suggested that she go back to sleep or else she wouldn't be refreshed for the following day. Unfortunately, she couldn't sleep. Every time she closed her eyes she heard Jack's horrifying scream, saw the haunted look in his eyes the first time she had tried the remedies, and the wounds on his back. She laid there listening to Daniel, who had been the first back to bed, snoring away. This usually irritated her but tonight, it was comforting for some reason. Eventually, she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Teal'c was able to get more rest than he had anticipated as Jack had remained unconscious or in a deep sleep for the remainder of the night. Teal'c awoke as the sky started to lighten. He checked the wounds on Jack's back and was pleased with what he saw. It did not look as bad as it had the previous day, yet it still had a long way to go before it healed. Teal'c left the warmth of the tent to go start a fire. He had laid the wood when Sam appeared by his side. 

"Teal'c, how is he?"

"There is little improvement."

"Good. Better than getting worse."

"Indeed."

"If I start the coffee, it'll save me having to wake sleeping beauty."

"HEY, I heard that." Daniel had emerged just in time to overhear Sam's comment. "Don't make coffee. We don't have much left."

"Ok. We should get going as soon as possible, so we can be back here before nightfall."

"I shall remain with O'Neill."

"Thanks Teal'c. I know Sam really wants to check out the gate, and I wouldn't mind checking the village out."

Light conversation continued over a small breakfast, and it wasn't long before Daniel and Sam were ready to go. Both had emptied their packs of everything they could spare, so if they did find food, they could bring some back and prevent another trip. They also carried empty water bottles in case they found fresh water.

Sam saw the gate and her hopes dropped. It was tipped and trapped in such a way that all four of them at full strength wouldn't be able to get it out of the crack. Sand had filled the crack so it didn't look as deep as it had been, but buried the gate more so.

"Sam, even with the DHD toast for now, why haven't the SGC tried dialing in?"

"I'm assuming there is something further down where we can't see that's preventing a wormhole from establishing. We'd have to dig out all this sand to get that low and check it out. We'd be better off just figuring a way to move the gate."

"Why don't we just tip the gate? We don't need it to be out of the hole to connect."

"No, we don't, but how are we going to dial if there's no where to stand and lever yourself?"

Sam grinned as the light dawned on Daniel's face. Sam looked around for a while longer, and as there was nothing she could do right then and there, started the trek to the village. Daniel protested walking through the dense trees, but Sam reminded him that he would be able to spend more time exploring in the village that way. Taking care to avoid the needle trees, they made their way to the village, spotting nothing of use along the way. The forest ended abruptly and revealed an open glade several miles wide. The grass looked very different than what they had seen so far. It was much taller with slightly yellow, long, slim leaves and green buds hanging off the top of the stalks. Sam and Daniel had to walk through it to get to the village.

"Daniel. Does this look familiar to you?"

"Uh, not really."

Sam broke off one of the stalks that had buds on it and handed it to him. He peeled off the green leaves covering the bud and smelt it.

"Looks like corn!"

"Other than the fact it's brown, yes, it looks like corn."

"Ok. So what do we do? Take some back and hope we can eat it or try some right now. It'd save us lugging around useless plants."

Sam pondered his question. She didn't particularly want to take a bite of an unknown plant, but Daniel had a point. What was the point of taking it back to the camp if it was unusable. She pulled out her radio and asked Teal'c if he'd ever seen anything like it. Teal'c answered that he had seen many plants on other worlds similar to those on Earth, and they usually turned out to be the same taste and texture. He suggested they taste a few kernels. Sam did and was surprised at the lack of flavour. Daniel mistook the expression on her face.

"Sam. What's wrong?" Sam swallowed a few times. "Sam, what's going on? Are you having trouble swallowing?"

"Calm down Daniel. Just no taste to them and they're kinda dry."

"So safe to eat?"

'I think so far, safe enough to take some back. We'll try cooking them before declaring them safe to eat."

They loaded up Daniels pack about halfway full with the ears of corn and continued towards the village. Daniel eagerly searched the houses which were more sturdy than the huts he had explored earlier. More of them were standing, yet still dilapidated. Halfway through the village Sam came across several area's which houses once stood. The ground was covered in lush green vegetation and a she could see a few skeletal remains. Sam returned to Daniel who was pouring over some books he had discovered.

"Hey, got anything yet?"

"No. I'm not understanding these writings. They look similar to Arabic perhaps, but there's nothing recognizable. I can take these back with me and compare them to a few of the books I brought. There may be something in there that can help distinguish what language this is related to. If only Jack had let me bring..."

"If the Colonel had let you bring any more books, you would've filled your pack with books and nothing else."

"As I was saying, hopefully I can figure some of this out. Did you find a water source?"

"No. Something happened in the village to cause the ground to become fertile and I found some remains."

"Ok. So now what?"

"I'd like to start heading back, otherwise we could be stuck in the dark. "

"Ok. Could you put these in your pack?"

Sam obliged seeing as Daniel's pack was already heavy. She watched as he picked and chose the books he wanted to bring back. He selected only a few and handed them to Sam. She knew he wanted to bring more, but when she offered, he claimed he didn't need more. Daniel didn't want to ask her to carry more than she could handle. As they left the village on the opposite side they had entered, they noticed another pillar, only it was much different than the one at the other settlement. It was thinner than the other, and the language written on it, wasn't goa'uld or the local language.

"Daniel, this looks like the pillar from K'Tau."

"Yeah, except it isn't beaming us anywhere."

"That's a good thing Daniel."

"Is this where the Asgard wanted to put their research post?"

"I don't know. They didn't share that information. Would this be here for any other reason?"

"Well let's get it working and we can ask them ourselves."

Daniel searched the pillar, poking and pushing on the writing, attempting to activate it. Sam took several steps sideways and a stream of light shone out of the top of the pillar.

"Hello. I am Joro of the Asgard."

"Hi. I'm Major Carter and this is Dr. Daniel Jackson."

"How may I assist you?"

"Is Thor available?" Daniel couldn't see who he was talking to so he looked straight at the beam of light.

"Thor is currently occupied. How may I assist you?"

"We're from SG-1 on a mission to Tefshu."

"I am aware of your mission Dr. Jackson."

"Well, we've run into a few problems and we can't get home."

"What do you require of the Asgard?"

"We need to get home, anyway we can. Would you be able to transport us home in a ship?"

"At this time, we are unable to help you. An Asgard ship will be travelling to the planet in two of your weeks to construct the research post."

"Wait, hear us out! There was a huge earthquake and the gate is partially buried. We can't use it to get home. One of our friends is really sick and we need to get him back to Earth."

"We can not help you at this time Dr. Jackson. There are no ships available currently."

"Please, just pass the message along to Earth that we're..."

The light cut out as the ground trembled.

"Earthquake."

"I don't think it is Daniel. It doesn't feel the same."

"What else?"

"Look!" Sam pointed towards a fountain of water, rocks, and dirt, shooting out of the ground a little over 50ft from them. She grabbed Daniels shoulder and ran back through the village, Daniel right behind her, in the direction they had come. They stopped at the start of the forest and turned back. The water was shooting 20ft into the air and Sam could see the steam coming off it.

"Is that a geyser?"

"Yeah, a new one at that." Daniel looked at her puzzled. "It shot the dirt and rocks up first indicating that it was either plugged or never before happened in that spot. Geysers could be normal for this area, but because we haven't had too much time to study the planet, I couldn't say for sure. The best thing we can do is head back. I'll check the readings from the seismometers to see if there was any earthquake activity."

Daniel glanced at Sam's face. He could see what he was feeling, displayed on her face.

Now what?


	19. Chapter 19

When Sam and Daniel returned to camp, Teal'c had started a fire and the sun was just starting to set. Sam placed her pack on the ground carefully and went to check on Jack. Daniel dug out something for their supper and started to cook. Sam returned shortly, looking a little relieved.

"How's he doing Sam?"

"He's still too warm, but not as much as he was this morning. The redness on his back is shrinking slowly and the wounds aren't excreting any pus anymore. How was he today Teal'c?"

"He woke briefly several times. I gave him some water which he eagerly accepted."

"Good. He's got to stay hydrated. Did he say anything?"

"No. He only mumbled incoherently."

"Ok. I'll watch him tonight Teal'c."

"Sam, I'll stay with him. I want to have a closer look at those books. See if I can figure out the language."

Teal'c inquired about their day, and between the two of them, they told him what happened. Sam opened her laptop and checked the seismic activity for the day. She was surprised when the results popped up and revealed only one earthquake all day, sometime during the early hours of the morning.

"What did the readings say?" Daniel had finished relating the plume of water from the ground to Teal'c.

"Nothing. There was only one micro quake, early this morning."

"Ok. So what does that mean?"

"I'm guessing that the geyser was not caused by tectonic movement in the crust of the planet directly."

"Major Carter, how could such a event occur?"

"A geyser is basically caused by underground heating. As the water is heated, it creates steam. When the steam has no more room to expand it creates more room by expanding upwards, forming a geyser. Sometimes a shift in tectonics can generate an outlet for the steam or cause the heating to begin."

"Do you think this volcano is making the heat, Sam?"

"I can't say for sure, but it's more than likely. We haven't seen this before while we've been here so it could just be a one time occurrence. If the volcano is merely dormant, it's still got magma somewhere under the surface. It could've just shifted and caused the heat to go to a different area, or the magma could be building up under the surface and creating new hot spots."

"Sam, I sense a 'but' in here somewhere."

"I'm just guessing here. Volcano predictions aren't an exact science. You can say it could erupt, but not when. It could be now, or in a hundred years. I don't have any of the equipment I need to attempt to figure out whats going on." Sam ran her hands through her hair in frustration.

"Is there a possibility the Asgard will pass our message along to Earth?"

"I don't know when the message cut out. Do you remember Daniel?"

"No. Even though, Thor will probably contact the SGC when he finds out we've 'called'. I'm sure he'll find out that we contacted them quickly and realise something is wrong, if the SGC hasn't already told him."

"Indeed."

"Sam, we should try to cook the corn stuff. See if it's edible when it's cooked."

Sam carried the corn back to the fire and Daniel put a pot of water over the fire. Teal'c inspected the corn and spoke of other planets with similar crops. It made sense to Daniel. When the goa'uld had taken humans from Earth and populated other planets with them, it would be highly likely that some of the food sources from Earth would've been taken with them. Once the corn was cooked, Teal'c sliced into three small pieces and handed them out. Each one took a small tentative bite. Teal'c appeared to be enjoying it, as he wolfed it down in no time. Sam took her time, and Daniel picked at his. It wasn't much better than MRE's, but it was another food supply. Teal'c pulled out the cards and Sam played with him as Daniel poured over the books. Daniel eventually came out of his own world and asked what the plans were the following day. Teal'c and Sam wanted to find water, and Daniel was more than happy to volunteer to stay with Jack. It meant he would have more time to see if he could decipher the language. Sam and Teal'c finished up their game and went to bed. Daniel cleared up, grabbed a few books, joined Jack in his tent, and settled down for a long night of reading.

* * *

"Dan" 

"Huh?" Daniel was roused by a weak voice penetrating his dreams.

"Dan'l"

"Jack?"

"Water."

"Here." Daniel sat up and poured a small amount of water into Jack's mouth. He swallowed and laid his head back down.

"Thanks."

"How are you feeling?"

"Tired."

"Hot? Any pain?"

"Bit. More tired."

Jack closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep. Daniel went to let Sam know that Jack had woken again. He could just see her in the pre dawn light. She was sitting on a log, her ankle resting on her other knee.

"Morning Sam. Jack was awake."

"Did he say anything?"

"He asked for water."

"How is he doing?"

"I asked if he was in pain or too hot, but he just said he was tired."

"He's talking to us. That's a good sign. I'll go check on him before we go."

"Are you up for another long day?" Daniel noticed Sam's ankle in the light of his flashlight. It was still swollen and currently a mix of blue and green.

"I'll be fine." She saw the light stay on her ankle and pulled her sock on.

"Sam, that looks worse than it did yesterday. I thought I saw you limping last night. You need to rest it so it will heal. I'll go with Teal'c today."

"Daniel, that's not necessary. I'll go."

"I think I found a water source in the village records. They seem to indicate that there may be a well in the forest around the village. I need to go to get one other book I should've brought. It'll tell me how to find it a little more specifically than this book." Daniel waved the book he was reading in front of Sam.

"You're telling me that you and Teal'c have to go?"

"I'm suggesting, Sam, that Teal'c goes, as he was with Jack all day yesterday, and I should go to find us some water. You can stay behind, take care of Jack, and rest."

"Fine."

Sam was finding a limit to her usually cool temper. She was stuck on a planet, in a volcano with a unknown attitude, no communication with Earth, her CO sick, and a dwindling supply of water. Her ankle hurt, her body felt stiff, and she had small, yet irritating headaches periodically. The nights were cold and she couldn't get any restful sleep. She felt frustrated as she didn't have the equipment she needed to find out what was going on and if they were in imminent danger. Right now she wanted to be at home, soaking an a relaxing hot bath, and spending the next day sleeping.

She watched Daniel's face as she spat the last word out at him. He looked concerned and opened his mouth to try to talk to her. Not wanting to talk, Sam had put her shoe back on, stood up, and stalked into Jack's tent. Teal'c was checking in on him and left when she arrived. Teal'c came to say goodbye when they left, and to arrange check in times. Sam attempted a week smile and waved them off, and checked on Jack's wounds again. Teal'c had removed his shirt on the night they had returned from the temple, and it had never been put back on. They had used the hypothermic blankets as well as sleeping bags wrapped around him to keep him warm during the chilly nights. Satisfied that the wounds seemed to be healing she rolled him onto his side and covered him up. Grabbing a cloth and some leftover warm water, Sam started to wipe his face, and around the wounds on his back. He stirred under her gentle ministrations

"Sam?"

"Sir! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

"S'ok."

"You thirsty? Hungry? Cold?"

"No."

"Any pain?"

"Carter, I'm fine." Jack hadn't opened his eyes yet and he sounded exhausted. "Where's Teal'c?"

"He and Daniel went exploring." Sam didn't want to tell him about the shortage of water. There was nothing he could do so why worry him.

Jack slowly opened his eyes and blinked several times. As her face came into focus, he smiled slightly.

"You ok?"

"Yes sir."

Jack narrowed his eyes slightly. He could hazily remember her falling from a cliff wall. He tried to concentrate on the events of the past few days, but only blurry, fragmented memories flashed into his head.

"What happened?"

"Sir, you were injured and the wounds became infected. You've had a fever for a few days."

"How long?"

Jack's eyes were starting to close. Sam hastily grabbed her water as she wanted him to drink seeing as he was awake. She placed her hands under his head to prop him up slightly so he could drink as she thought about her answer.

"Teal'c and Daniel think you've been sick for 5 days."

"Oh, ok."

Before Jack's head touched the ground he was sleeping again. Sam didn't think he'd heard her answer otherwise he would've been asking questions. She covered him up again so he wouldn't get cold, then feeling a little calmer and chilly, she grabbed her sleeping bag from her tent and laid down next to Jack. She may as well get some sleep while she could.

* * *

Teal'c and Daniel approached the village with care. They noticed two holes in the ground, surrounded by mud, and liberally splatted with moisture. They entered the building that Daniel had found, what appeared to be, the the village records, the previous day. 

"Is there something specific you wish to look for Daniel Jackson?"

"If you could find a map that would be perfect. Other than that, anything that has this word in the title. I think it means records or something similar." Daniel pointed to a word in the book he'd been reading.

Teal'c started rummaging through several desks as Daniel hunted through the copious amounts of books.

"I overheard your conversation with Major Carter earlier."

"Oh."

"She was not her usual self."

"No, that she wasn't. I hope Jack's bad mood isn't catching."

"Indeed."

"It's just that..." Daniel sighed as he tried to explain what he was thinking and feeling. "I don't know. I thought I was helping her out. Giving her a chance to rest. What help is she going to be if she can't walk?"

"I do not believe Major Carter saw it that way."

"Yeah, no kidding."

"Perhaps she felt as though you were questioning her ability to perform her job?"

" I don't know Teal'c. I just want to get off this damn planet."

"Daniel Jackson, we must resolve small issues like these before they create large problems. For example, we should've talked with O'Neill and found out what was troubling him."

"Talk to Jack! We tried. He didn't want to talk."

"We did not try hard enough. If we are to continue as a team, we must work together as a team."

"I see what you're getting at. We're only as strong as the weakest link."

"Yes."

"Why is it coming to this? We never have had problems before."

"We have Daniel Jackson. There have been times, more frequently recently, where we do not discuss problems that arise. Fortunately, few of those recent times created a big enough issue within the team to warrant General Hammonds attention. I believe that O'Neill's recent behaviour did catch General Hammonds attention, and that could be the reason O'Neill was not on base for several days."

"Yeah."

"We still have not discussed that with O'Neill, and Major Carter's shortness this morning may be attributed to the same frustration you are feeling currently."

"Ok. I'll talk to her when we get back."

"Once O'Neill has recovered, we must talk to him also."

"Find anything yet?"

Daniel changed the subject, feeling a little foolish. Here he was getting upset at Sam for the exact same reason she had been disagreeable that morning. While they had been talking, Teal'c had continued to look through the desks. Daniel had stopped looking to vent, so now he turned back to the books.

"Daniel Jackson. I may have discovered something you want to see."

Daniel whipped around to see Teal'c holding a small map. It was about the size of a regular sheet of paper, torn and aged. The map was crudely drawn and only depicted the village and the immediate surrounding area. Daniel accepted the map from Teal'c and they both bent their heads over it. Not being able to read the writing, Daniel guessed at several symbols that he thought might mean water. Teal'c grabbed their packs as they went to get their bearings on the map. Several hours later, they had found a dry creek bed, and 2 dry wells. Both wells had been uncovered, located in the fields of corn surrounding the village near the edge of the forest. The map ended at the edge of the field but it indicated another well just outside the area on the map. Daniel and Teal'c started searching the forest hoping to find something before nightfall. As it was starting to get dark, Daniel found the well the usual way. He tripped over it.

"Found it Teal'c." Daniel sat next to it, rubbing his shin.

The well was small, less than two feet wide. It had been covered up with planks of wood and Teal'c removed those with ease. He pulled out some rope from his pack and attached the largest of the water canisters to it. To Daniels relief, when Teal'c pulled up the canister, there was water in it. It took them under an hour to fill all the bottles they had brought with them. As Daniel split the load between the two of them, Teal'c covered the well.

"Do you think it is safe to drink still Teal'c?"

"I could not be sure. I suggest we boil the water, and use the tablets also to be certain."

"I agree. Let's get going back. I'm starving. I hope Sam's started a fire."

"I am positive she will have. It is almost dark and it will begin to get cold soon."

* * *

Sam woke up to feel a small weight on her waist, and feeling very comfortable. She was lying on her side facing Jack. She opened her eyes to discover she was much closer to him than she thought she was. So close she was surprised she didn't feel his breath on her face. She backed up an inch or two and felt his arm around her waist tighten a tad. She took a deep breath. As much as her body was enjoying this, it couldn't continue. She carefully removed herself from his grasp without waking him. As she sat up, she realised she felt more refreshed than she had in a while. Considering where they were, and what they had been through, that had been one of the most relaxing sleeps she'd had in a long time. Her stomach complained of hunger so she made herself some lunch, grabbed her laptop and re-entered the tent. She opened her laptop and started it up. As she was waiting, her eyes scanned Jack. Despite his continual whining about his age, he looked great. Much more than great. He was fit, healthy, and his smile would melt any woman's heart. Her eyes scanned over his face, and blue eyes met brown eyes. 

"Sam?"

Why did she feel like a kid with her hand in the forbidden cookie jar?

"Sir?"

"What'cha doin?"


	20. Chapter 20

"Sam?"

Why did she feel like a kid with her hand in the forbidden cookie jar?

"Sir?"

"What'cha doin?"

* * *

"Just loading the laptop. Getting some work done."

She scrambled to place the now loaded laptop onto her crossed legs. Jack grinned at her sudden awkwardness. He tried to roll over and winced in pain.

"Sir, be careful."

"Yah, got that. What happened?"

"We don't know. You were injured and the wounds became infected."

"When?"

"In the caves. What do you remember?"

"Not much. It's a jumble of memories in here right now."

Jack tapped his head lightly and tried to sit up. His arms seemed to be having a hard time reacting to his commands, so he rolled over onto his back. Sam put the laptop down and helped him sit up slowly.

"How are you feeling?"

"Dizzy."

"That's because this is the first time you've sat up in about 5 days. Here."

Sam handed him a water bottle and he drank greedily. He had felt much cooler when she helped him sit up and hoped that the fever was almost gone completely.

"5 days! No wonder..."

"No wonder what sir?"

"Everything's hard to move and I feel drained."

"You were quite sick Sir. You had us very worried for a while."

"Why aren't we back at the base then? Where's Daniel and Teal'c?"

"Daniel and Teal'c are looking at a village today. They'll be back around sunset."

"So why are we still here?"

"Sir, there was a very large earthquake. You and I were in the caves, Daniel and Teal'c were in the temple. The quake damaged the gate and I don't think I can fix it."

"Ok. What do you need to fix it?"

"Several more strong people pulling it out of the hole it's in."

Jack looked at Sam in shock as she relayed the past few days events. As she talked his memory started to come back together like a jigsaw puzzle. Unnoticed by Sam, he carefully checked her to see if she was ok. He remembered the fall, and her being sick, but had no recollection of feeling sick himself.

"Carter."

"Yes Sir?"

"Are you ok?"

"Yes Sir."

"Don't 'yes sir' me. What happened? I remember you were sick."

"I don't remember. You'll have to ask Daniel."

"I will do just that."

Jack made as if to try to get up. Sam quickly tried to stop him.

"Sir, wait. You've been lying down for 5 days. If you get up too quickly you'll get dizzy and I don't want you passing out on me. When Daniel and Teal'c get back we'll have some supper together."

"Fine."

Just sitting up and talking had tired him. He laid back down and closed his eyes. Sam pulled the blankets over him and picked up her laptop again when he started talking again, quietly.

"Carter, we'll be fine."

"Yes Sir."

"Someone will come get us or you'll figure out the gate."

"Ok Sir."

"I bet you'll figure it out first though."

"Thank you Sir."

"Sam?"

She turned towards him at the soft way he said her name, and looked at his half opened eyes as he fought off sleep.

"Yes?"

"Sorry."

"For what? Getting sick? That wasn't your fault..."

"No. For me."

"Huh?"

"You'll be a good leader." He slowly mumbled out.

"Leader of what Sir?"

She listened as his breathing pattern changed. He had drifted off again. Sam sat staring at him, laptop forgotten. What had he meant? A good leader of what? Was he leaving SG-1, or worse, transferring her to another SG team? She wanted to advance, but not lose her team. She couldn't imagine her life without Daniel, Teal'c and Jack. They were her brothers, her family, and firm friends.

Her thoughts picked apart all the recent missions as she searched for why he would leave or transfer her. Had she done something wrong? She remembered the mission a few weeks back where they had been running towards the gate from an angry crowd of locals. Sam had inquired about a serving girl that had not returned and they had been thrown in a crude jail. It hadn't taken them long to escape but during the trip back to the gate, the locals had chased them, accusing her of stealing their technology. She had almost laughed out loud at the thought. Earth was more technologically advanced, so why would they steal anything of theirs. The Colonel had been hit by something similar to a zat hit, only this one merely caused him to stumble and land hard on his knees.

Once back at the base, Daniel had been upset that he hadn't been able to stay to visit their museum. Jack had quipped, in his foul mood, that had Carter kept her mouth shut, he would still be there. She had been discharged from the infirmary 30min ago and had returned to ask Janet if they still had plans for the evening. Jack and Daniel were still being treated, Daniel for a cut that required a few stitches, and Jack for his knees. He had tried to hide his limping but you couldn't fool Janet. The instant he walked into the infirmary she had noticed and ordered him to sit down. None of them had heard Sam enter or leave.

At that time she had just brushed his comment off as a result of a bad day, but was that when his bad mood had started? It had definitely been within that week. In her mind she started picking apart the incident. Did he really blame her for the bad end to the mission? It wasn't like him to even voice his discontent with his fellow teammates. She couldn't remember him doing it before.

Fighting the urge to wake him and ask him what was going on, she left the warmth of the tent. Midday had passed probably about an hour ago, and she needed something to do. Teal'c had checked in almost an hour ago, as per their arrangement, so she knew to expect another radio call soon. Feeling fidgety she organized the stuff they had lying on the FRED. The earthquakes and rummaging around in the dark for what they wanted had created a mess. If they needed anything in a hurry, they wouldn't be able to find it.

Finished she looked around for something else to do. They needed more wood for the fire that night, so she collected fallen branches and chopped some of the larger tree trunks lying around into a pile and covered with a smaller tarp she had found on the FRED. Still no Daniel or Teal'c. She decided to do some work on her computer as she was in a better frame of mind to do work now. She cursed as she remembered she'd left it with Jack. Peeking into the tent, she sighed with relief as she heard his soft snoring. She grabbed the laptop and as she was retreating, he grunted, mumbled something and rolled over. This was a good time to check his back as it was still light outside and was now on his side, facing the tent wall. Careful not to wake him, she pulled the sleeping bag down and checked the wounds. While still red and painful looking, the redness was shrinking, and the swelling not as pronounced. The wounds had scabs over them and were healing naturally. She left the tent and started working.

* * *

Sam didn't notice as the light faded. She didn't hear Daniel and Teal'c arriving until Teal'c said hello and scared the daylights out of her. Daniel looked like he was trying to no laugh as she jumped several inches, so she shot him a glare. 

"I apologize Major Carter. I did not mean to scare you."

"That's ok Teal'c. I was just a little distracted."

"How is O'Neill."

"Much better. He was awake for a bit earlier." Teal'c walked over to the tent leaving her and Daniel alone.

"Did he say anything Sam?"

"Yes. We talked."

"About what?"

"He asked where you guys were."

"And what did you say?"

"I told him you went exploring."

"Ok. What else did he say? Does he remember everything?"

"He didn't at first. As I told him that he'd been sick and what you guys had been up to, his memory returned."

"Anything else?"

"He wanted to know why we were here and not at the base."

"You didn't tell him did you?"

"Yes. How else was I going to explain it." Sam started feeling defensive as Daniel's tone became accusing.

"I don't know. Tell him the base was quarantined or something."

"Ok. So you wanted me to lie to him and when he found out I did, let me deal with his anger?" She was yelling at Daniel now.

"I thought we agreed not to worry him until he recovered." Daniel yelled right back.

"No. You suggested it. No one agreed to anything. He is well on the way to recovered. His fever is almost gone, and his body is finishing the recovery process by sleeping. He'll be up and around once he's got some food in him."

"Well he's definitely going to be up soon. You know Jack. He needs to rest and you've given him a good reason to be up. He'll be wanting to go see the gate himself tomorrow!"

"I still don't see a benefit of lying to him."

"What did he say when you told him." Daniel started cooling down already. He could see Sam was still upset and angry, but he wasn't calm enough himself to apologize.

"He said we would be rescued or I would fix it, and not to worry."

"You probably will fix it." Sam mistook the tone of his voice. It sounded bitter and like he was challenging her.

"Yeah, that's right. If there's ever a problem, just ask Sam. She'll fix everything."

"Sam, I didn't mean..."

"Daniel I know what you 'didn't mean.' You all want me to fix the gate. What happens if I can't fix the damn thing. Have you got any ideas?"

Sam stalked off into the trees leaving a flabbergasted Daniel sitting alone in the impending darkness. He shook himself. Had that conversation really happened? It was unlike either of them to act that way. He was jolted from his thoughts as Teal'c, half carrying Jack, appeared. Daniel hastened to get the fire started and to get dinner cooking as Jack was probably staving.


	21. Chapter 21

Sam stalked off into the trees careful to keep the small fire in view. She could easily get lost and didn't want Daniel and Teal'c looking for her. She sat down on a fallen tree and put her head in her hands. She ran over the conversation in her head, shocked that her and Daniel actually started shouting at each other. What had gotten into them? They were all turning into firecrackers just waiting to go off. First Jack, then her, and now Daniel. After allowing herself some time to wallow in unhappiness, she schooled her face into a neutral expression, and started walking slowly back to the fire.

* * *

Teal'c had gone to Jack's tent to find the man attempting to get up. He had rolled over onto his stomach, and managed to turn around and crawl to the tent flap. Teal'c was listening to O'Neill making his argument to be allowed up and about, when he heard Sam and Daniel arguing by the fire. Jack was so intent on getting up that he didn't hear, but Teal'c could hear most of what was being said. He quickly assisted O'Neill to his feet and out of the tent. As they approached the fire Teal'c watched Major Carter walk into the trees. He knew that she would not go far and didn't go after her. He helped O'Neill sit down and placed himself next to him. Daniel handled the logs roughly as he tried to get the fire to start. Teal'c took over as Daniel dropped a larger log than the fire needed and put it out. Jack watched with interest and looked around for Sam. 

"Where's Sam?"

"She went for a walk." Daniel answered shortly.

"Danny. Hello. It's me, Jack."

"Sorry Jack. It's great to see you up. You hungry?"

"Starving. Feel like I haven't eaten in, oh, 5 days."

Daniel smiled a little. Jack looked at Teal'c. What was going on? Teal'c just shook his head ever so slightly. Not now. Jack shrugged and sat back, enjoying the fresh air. As Daniel was finishing the meal, Sam returned, walking slowly from the trees. Jack looked at her and got a weak smile in return. She grabbed bowls for the dinner and handed them to Daniel. He accepted them with a nod and Sam looked sheepishly at him. They both knew they would have to talk soon, but now was not the time. Over dinner, they kept conversation light and animated and avoided any comments or questions that could cause any disagreement.

* * *

The following morning, Jack was up with the sun. He would've bounded out of the tent had he been able. As it was, he slowly crept out to avoid waking Teal'c, who was still sleeping next to him. He made straight for the FRED and changed his clothes. Yesterday he hadn't even thought about it, and now, after remembering it had been several days, couldn't wait to change. He started a small fire and put a pot of water on. He heard a zipper as the fire started crackling. Carter's head poked out of her tent. He grinned and waved at her. She joined him as he started breakfast. 

"Sir, what's the water for?"

"Carter, I've been asleep for 5 days. I need to wash."

"Oh. Sorry, didn't even think of that."

"Neither did I until this morning."

"How are you feeling?"

"Hungry. You?"

Sam almost squirmed under his scrutinizing gaze. She wondered if he had overheard the conversation between her and Daniel, the night before.

"Me too. Uh, Sir?"

"Yes."

"I need to check your wounds."

"I thought you said they were getting better."

"We think they are, but I still need to check them."

Teal'c had dressed them the night before, but as O'Neill was now awake, Sam was worried that having them covered would hinder the healing process. She stood behind him and gingerly lifted his shirt. She peeled back the tape and gauze covering the wounds and inspected them.

"How's it lookin?"

"Good."

"Carter.."

"Ok. They're still red, irritated and swollen but not as bad as yesterday. It will take time for these to heal."

"How long?"

"I don't know. More than a few days." Sam looked at the gauze pads. Some were clean and dry, others had blood on them. She pulled out the first aid kit and started applying new dressings and noticed the skin on his back appeared taut and dry. She assumed it was part of the healing process.

"So we just keep checking them?"

"Yes. There's not much else we can do." Jack took a deep breath in as she placed the first gauze pad on his back.

"Ouch."

"How bad did that hurt?"

"Oh, I've had worse."

"Sir I need to know."

"Felt like you were stabbing me. Was that one of the holes in my back?"

"No. That was the area surrounding the wound. I'm sorry, didn't realise it was so tender."

"No worries. Just get it over with."

Sam finished as quickly as she could as she could tell Jack was in a good deal of pain. When she was done, he stayed sitting with his head in his knees. Concerned, Sam reached around him and felt for a pulse. It was racing and she could hear him breathing loudly.

"Jack. Can you hear me?"

"Sam, what's wrong?"

"I'm not sure. I changed his dressings and he was in some pain. He's conscious but not responding."

"Jack."

Daniel called his name and gently shook him. Teal'c joined them after hearing Daniel ask Sam what was wrong. He was a few feet away as the ground convulsed violently. The force shook Teal'c to his knees and propelled Jack forward towards the fire. Sam grabbed him and pulled him backwards, as Daniel fell sideways. The ground continued to shake for a minute and not a word was spoken. The earthquake ceased but not before disrupting the fire pit. Bits of wood, with flames licking them eagerly, rolled over the ground starting new fires. Daniel jumped up and grabbed the the pot that Jack had put water in, and started putting out the flames. Teal'c rushed to the FRED and grabbed one of the water jugs and assisted Daniel. Sam realised she was practically hugging her CO and removed her arms from his waist. He was conscious, breathing hard, and white as a sheet.

"Sir, how bad is the pain?"

Jacks eyes rolled back in response. The flames put out, Teal'c and Daniel rushed over to her.

"Come on Jack." Daniel lightly tapped Jack's face and his eyes snapped into focus.

"Daniel, " he gasped.

"Jack. Stay with me. What hurts?"

Jacks eyes became white again as his eyes rolled back, and he passed out. Teal'c checked him for new wounds and found several small scorch marks on the front of his shirt. He promptly removed the shirt so Sam could check for burns. As they sat him up, Daniel noticed blood soaking through the gauze on his back. Sam didn't see any burn marks on his chest and turned to the blood on his back.

"Major Carter. I suggest we place O'Neill on his front. This position will not be comfortable for him when he wakes."

"Ok. Daniel you grab his legs, Teal'c, we'll have to pick him up carefully."

"Why don't we just take him into the tent?"

"There's more room out here, and I don't want to try to get him into there without knowing what's causing this blood."

"Let me go grab a sleeping bag first. That way his head won't be face down in the dirt."

Daniel laid the sleeping bag, open, on the ground. He remembered how they moved Jack the night he and Teal'c had returned from the temple. They moved Jack onto the bag, face turned so he could breathe. Teal'c crouched ready in case O'Neill repeated previous events and kicked out. Sam slowly peeled the now blood soaked gauze of his back. Daniel turned his head away. Sam delicately cleaned the blood and revealed the cause of the blood.

"Sam, what the hell happened?"

"It looks like the skin surrounding the wounds cracked."

"Cracked?"

"Split. I'm not sure how deep as they're still bleeding."

"How?"

"I don't know Daniel. I'm not a doctor."

Daniel backed off when he heard the exasperation in her voice. He hadn't intended to sound so demanding, but she had obviously taken it that way. Teal'c raised an eyebrow and reminded them of their patient.

"I noticed that the skin looked dry and taut this morning. I assumed it was part of the healing process."

"Apparently not."

"Yes Daniel. I was wrong."

"Major Carter, what must we do?"

"The only thing I can think of is to clean the wounds with hot water, and dress them again."

"When he wakes up we should not allow him to move quickly."

Daniel nodded that he understood and restarted the fire. Sam continued to wipe the blood away until the water was hot enough. She cleaned the wounds and dressed them again. Jack came to just as she finished taping the last piece of gauze. He moaned and tried to move.

"O'Neill you must not move just yet."

"Daniel, hold his legs down. I don't want him stretching the skin on his back."

"What's happenin?" Jack slurred.

"Sir, you've torn the skin on your back. Don't move as you'll make it worse."

"Hurts."

"Teal'c, grab the first aid kit from the FRED. There's some morphine in there."

"Why haven't you used that before Sam?"

"I didn't know if it would react with the paste we gave him. Had we given him morphine and he had a reaction, because he was so weak, it probably would've killed him."

Teal'c returned and Sam injected him with a small amount of morphine. To hear the Colonel admit to pain meant that it was truly unbearable. Jack relaxed as he passed back into unconsciousness. Daniel and Teal'c wrapped him in the sleeping bag and returned him to the tent. Teal'c stayed with O'Neill as Daniel returned to Sam. She was sitting by the fire, her back rigid. He could almost see her aura of anger.

"Sam."

"Daniel."

"What's wrong."

"Nothing."

"Seriously, Sam. What's bothering you?"

"Nothing Daniel. Drop it."

"Please talk to me Sam. Why are you upset?"

"I'm not upset."

"Yes you are. You have been all day. You've bitten my head off at least twice."

Daniel knew that she needed to let out whatever was bothering her but wasn't prepared for her passionate response.

"I bit your head off! You're the one who jumped down my throat every time I answered one of your never ending questions!"

"What!"

"Remember last night? You asked me if I'd told Jack about the gate. You almost shit your pants when I said I'd told him the truth."

"Sam, I didn't mean that. I was tired and so were you." Daniel felt bad about how he had reacted the night before. He hadn't realised it would blow up like that. He wasn't in the mood to argue now, only to mend their friendship, which had taken a new turn in the past few days.

"That's no excuse."

"I know. I'm sorry about that."

"Do you expect me to fix the gate?"

"Huh?"

"I'm not repeating myself."

"Sam, none of us expects you to fix the gate. We are hoping you can though."

"And what if I can't?"

"Then we find another way home."

"How? Have good ol'Carter throw something together to get us out of this mess?"

"Sam, what's this all about?"

"If I can't get us out of this mess, then what? It's all my fault!"

Sam looked to be on the verge of tears. Daniel could see her fighting it. Whatever was bothering her had been brewing for a while. He wanted her to get it out now if she would. He moved closer to her as she paced around the fire. As she walked towards him, he grabbed her in a hug.

"Sam, we don't expect you to fix the gate, we don't expect you to get us out of this, and we certainly won't blame you for that."

"Daniel, you don't understand..."

"I think I do. You're frustrated because you can't fix all this. There's nothing you can do right now. Stuck here, in a potentially volatile situation, Jack recovering, you're still recovering, we're just surviving."

Sam didn't respond but he could feel her relax a tad in his arms.

"Sam, I'm really sorry about last night. I don't know what came over us."

"Stress", she mumbled from his shoulder.

"Yeah. None of that here."

He heard Sam chuckle and knew that the anger was dissipating. Now he wanted to talk rationally and figure this mess out before they blew up again. He sat down on a long log, near the fire, and pulled her down next to him.

"What did I do today that irritated you today."

"This morning. You didn't want me to go to look for water and when you kept asking questions about Jack's wounds. You didn't let up, and seemed to think I knew the answer but for some reason wasn't telling you."

"I didn't mean to come across that way. I just wanted to know what was going on."

"But sometimes you don't stop asking. I needed to think and you kept asking questions demanding to know what was happening when I didn't even know the answers."

Daniel couldn't think of a response. He recalled the discussion from the morning and hesitated to mention it.

"This morning, I only thought you needed a break."

"If I needed to rest I would tell you."

"Would you? You don't listen to us, any of us, at the base. We're always telling you to rest, relax, take some time for yourself, and you rarely do."

"I don't need to a babysitter Daniel. I can take care of myself." He could hear her defenses going back up and hastened to bring them down again.

"We're just concerned about you, same as you are for us. What's all this about fixing the gate?"

"That's just it Daniel. I really don't think I can. We'd need more manpower to pull it out. We could build something like a crane, or pulley system to help us do it, but I don't have the materials."

"You think we'll blame you for that?"

"That doesn't sound like I meant it to sound. Not blame me. umm. I dunno. I feel like you guys are so used to me solving the problems we find ourselves in, that you almost rely on my to fix them all the time. What happens when I can't fix the problem, like now. How will you react?"

"Sam, we all know that you can't do everything. You've done some amazing things in the years I've known you, but you can't fix everything. We don't expect you to."

"Daniel, I feel like an idiot. I'm sorry for overreacting."

"Don't mention it. We're all under a mound of stress, we were bound to blow up at each other sooner rather than later."

"Yeah. I guess so."

Daniel gave Sam another hug, which this time, she returned. Sam stood up and went to go check on Jack as Daniel replayed the conversation in his head. He didn't feel like they'd solved the original problem, but now she wasn't upset, so he'd accomplished something.

* * *

Teal'c smiled to himself. He had heard most of the conversation and was glad his two friends had talked things over. Now they had to get O'Neill to inform them of what had been bothering him. He had a feeling that wouldn't be very easy. 


	22. Chapter 22

Sam was grateful that Teal'c left the tent as she entered. She wanted to calm down and let her mind process what had just happened. Some part of her was still angry, but it was a small part. She checked Jack's pulse and placed a hand on his forehead. He was a normal temperature to her relief. She laid down on Teal'c's sleeping bag, intending on dealing with the thoughts and emotions running through her mind. Instead she dozed off.

"Teal'c."

"Yes Daniel Jackson."

"What's Sam doing in there?"

"She is sleeping."

"Oh. And Jack?"

"Also sleeping."

"Sleeping or unconscious?"

"I believe he is sleeping."

"Should we wake Sam up?"

"No. We should allow her to sleep. She too was ill, and is possibly still in need of sleep to recover."

"Yeah, you're right. What can we do?"

"I am going to rebuild the fire pit. I do not wish to have another incident occur like today."

As Teal'c started more rocks for the fire pit Daniel wandered over to the FRED to reorganize it, as the earthquake had disrupted several of the items. He accidentally knocked over Sam's laptop and it fell to the ground, open. He picked it up and looked at the screen. Sam had left it on, and it had restarted on the last window she had been on. The computer refreshed the screen and Daniel recognised the seismograph. This window showed a different picture than he had seen at the briefing, days ago. The lines were never straight or even close to it. He scrolled left and noticed the large ups and downs of the recent earthquake, when he noticed a change. The lines before the earthquake were relatively straight. The ones after, while not as large as the earthquake, were all over the place. Not knowing exactly what it meant, or how large the scale was, Daniel closed the laptop and placed it on the FRED. He would mention it to Sam when she woke up.

Jack opened his eyes and immediately snapped them closed again. The light flooded into his vision and pain flashed through his head. He stayed where he was, on his right side, and tried to remember how he got back into his sleeping bag. His mind felt foggy and he could only remember pain as Carter had changed the dressings. He felt warm and cozy, which was unusual, so he slowly opened his eyes to investigate. Ignoring the pain, he opened his eyes wider as center in his vision was a head of blond hair. He felt himself grinning as he remembered Daniel, years ago, complaining about Carter and her night time snuggling. She was always the first one to feel the cold and gravitated towards the warmth at night. When Daniel had brought it up, and he had commented that she'd never done it to him, she'd turned a brilliant shade of red. He closed his eyes, content. He had hoped that he would experience this himself before he left, and now he had. He drifted off into a deep, pleasant sleep.

* * *

Once again, Sam woke shocked at how close she was to her CO. She scooted herself back towards the tent wall and listened for Daniel and Teal'c. She could hear them talking but could not make out what they were saying. It was still light, but cooler so she assumed dusk was close. She checked on Jack before leaving the tent. As she approached the fire, Daniel turned around and smiled at her. 

"Better?"

"Yes. Didn't realise I was that tired."

"How's he doing?"

"I think the morphine has worn off now, so he's sleeping on his own. I'm surprised that he's not up yet."

"Maybe he is too comfortable to move..." Daniel almost failed at keeping his poker face on as Sam's expression turned to horror and mortification. Damn, had Daniel seen them?

"How long till dark?" Sam changed the subject swiftly.

"About an hour I think."

Daniel stood up and retrieved her laptop from the FRED. He handed it to her and she looked at him puzzled.

"I knocked this over earlier and it fell open. When I picked it up I noticed the window it was left on. Something doesn't look right."

"What do you mean?" Sam loaded the computer and opened various windows that she had been on waiting for Daniel to point out the one he had seen.

"That one."

"What did you see?"

"Go back to the earthquake this morning."

"Ok." Sam scrolled back, noticing the seismograph change.

"There. Is that normal?"

Sam saw immediately what he was talking about and snapped into scientist mode. Daniel, curious, stayed close to her as Teal'c went to wake O'Neill. The ground shifted again under his feet. He steadied himself as the short earthquake passed and walked over to Sam. She pushed some keys, and the screen refreshed, showing the last earthquake.

"Sam, how big was that one?"

"3.4, not very large."

"How big was the one this morning?"

"4.7"

"So what about the other small bumps?"

"They're caused by small aftershocks. It's normal to some extent."

"When does it stop being normal?"

"I'm not too sure. It depends on the area and the cause of the earthquakes. On Earth, when volcanoes have continual earthquakes, one immediately after another, it's bad."

Daniel opened his mouth to ask another question, but instead turned at the noise behind him. Jack was insisting on moving about under his own steam, and was crawling cautiously out of his tent. Teal'c stood nearby, arms crossed, as if he was watching a small child. Jack slowly stood up and walked shakily towards them, Teal'c not too far behind. They both sat down, Jack much more carefully.

"Jack, how are you feeling?"

"Sore. What happened to me now?"

"Sir, it seems the skin on your back became dry and as you moved, it tore."

"Ok, why didn't I feel it?"

"I think it didn't really start until the earthquake."

"O'Neill, Major Carter stopped you from falling forwards into the fire."

"Thanks Carter."

"Unfortunately the quick response may have aggravated your wounds. You must not move quickly until you are healed."

"Thanks T. How long will that take?"

"I don't know Sir. We'll just have to wait and see."

"Great. So I'm stuck with this crap on my back until then?"

"Hopefully the bandages will keep the moisture in your skin and help it heal faster."

"Ok. No more sitting near the fire then."

"Not if there's an impending earthquake." Daniel grinned at Jack who gave him a 'not funny' look. Sam buried her nose back into her laptop.

"What'cha workin on Carter?"

"Just looking at the seismograph."

"Anything interesting?"

"I think so. I'm just not sure yet."

"What's the plan for tomorrow?"

"Teal'c and Sam were talking about going for water. Sam wants to have another look at the gate."

"Danny, what are you and I doing?"

"I wasn't sure you'd be up for anything."

"I wouldn't mind having a look at the gate too."

"Sir?"

"Carter" He cocked his head at her.

"Never mind."

"No, you sir'd me. I may not be of much use but I would like to see what we're up against." Jacks tone had taken a dramatic turn towards sarcasm and you could hear bitterness dripping off every word.

"No, no Sir. I didn't mean it like that..."

"I know what you meant Carter." Now his tone was frosty. What had happened to piss him off now?

"Sir, I wasn't aware you were up for the trek to the gate."

"I want to go for a walk Carter. Me and Danny have all day, right Danny?" Daniel looked like a deer in very bright headlights.

"Uh, sure Jack. We can go for a short walk tomorrow." He received a glare from Sam and added, "providing that you're up to it."

"Good, so what's for dinner?"

Even Teal'c was surprised at the swift mood change. Not wanting to ruin this new mood, Daniel quickly listed of their choices, including the corn they had found. Their choices made, and dinner cooking, Teal'c pulled out the cards and Jack started a game. Carter's nose reburied itself into her laptop, and Daniel watched over the fire. Light, friendly banter continued through the evening only ceasing for less than a minute when the ground moved again. They barely felt the quake, and the fire stayed put. Sam headed to bed first, with Daniel following shortly after. Teal'c and Jack continued playing cards until Jack started yawning. Teal'c doused the fire and helped Jack to bed.

* * *

Jack woke at the sound of the other tent zipper being used. He nudged Teal'c, who woke instantly. 

"O'Neill."

"Mornin T."

"Do you require assistance?"

"Nope. Just don't wanna let Danny and Carter go without us."

"Are you able to make this venture?"

"Sure."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow but allowed him to continue anyways. Jack, remembering Carter's comments on his wounds, exited the tent with care. He wandered over to the FRED and prepared to change his clothes. Sam noticed what he was doing and volunteered to change his dressings. He accepted with no complaint and sat down accordingly.

"How are they lookin?"

"Better than yesterday Sir. I'd still be careful as the skin still looks dry and red."

"But I can still walk, right Carter?"

"Yes Sir." She sighed as she changed the gauze. He was determined to get moving again and she could tell he was bored with the idea of staying at their camp for another day. She couldn't blame him, but she was concerned. If he stayed with Teal'c, she knew he wouldn't be allowed to overexert himself. After some discussion, for the first time in several days, all four of them left together.


	23. Chapter 23

Sam set a slower pace than normal, hoping that Colonel O'Neill wouldn't notice and insist they walk faster. She wanted to make this as easy on him as possible. She also knew that he would not let them know of any discomfort he felt until it was unbearable, and most likely he would tire quickly, and still have to walk back to their camp. She didn't want to burden Teal'c anymore than he already would be. Daniel opened his mouth to comment on the easy cadence and caught Sam's eye. He promptly shut his mouth as she flicked her head towards Jack. He nodded, grinned and hastened to hold onto a tree and the ground beneath him trembled. Before it was over, Sam was pulling out her laptop.

"Carter, what the hell is going on here?"

"I can't be sure Sir."

"Sam, we've had more earthquakes in the past two days than we've had the rest of the time we've been here."

"Indeed."

"You've got to remember we're standing in the middle of a volcano here. This could be normal activity."

"And if it isn't Carter?"

"Then we've got a huge problem."

"Okay then, why don't we pick up the pace a little and check out the gate."

Carter grimaced and picked up her cadence a tad, faking she was unsure of her footing so he wouldn't complain and order her to go faster. The next hour was spent walking, talking and laughing, only disrupted by another small earthquake. After that one, Sam sped up without realising it in her eagerness to get to the gate. As soon as the gate was visible, she heard the Colonel swear. Now he knew what they had to deal with.

At the gate, Sam and Teal'c went right up to it and discovered it had sank deeper. The gate was now buried up to half of its height. Nonetheless, Teal'c and Sam attempted to dial manually, and as they expected, they couldn't move the inner ring. There was just too much sand covering the gate, and the awkward angle meant that they used most of their energy staying upright. When Sam's foot slipped over the edge of the crevasse, Teal'c grabbed her roughly to prevent her from falling into the deep hole. She took several steps back, a little shaken. Jack crawled up to the gate on all his hands and knees to get a closer look and agreed reluctantly with Carter. He didn't think they'd be able to get the gate out, but was willing to try. Teal'c took several coils of rope from his pack and they tied them onto the gate. They tried pulling the gate out from both sides, but it didn't budge an inch. Jack, exhausted, sat down next to the DHD and willed the pain flooding through him to go away. He could feel a tickling sensation down his back and knew that he had reopened the wounds there. Not wanting Carter to notice, he stood up carefully and suggested that her and Daniel went to get water so they could make it back before dark. The check in times agreed upon, their goodbyes said, Jack and Teal'c walked back in the direction of the camp. Once they reached the trees Teal'c took the pack off his back.

"T, what'cha stoppin for?"

"O'Neill, while you may not have alerted Major Carter, I have noticed your back causing you pain. We must rest."

"Teal'c, let's just get back to camp."

"I do not believe it will be wise to continue at this moment. I suggest we take a break."

"T, I'm fi..." Jack took a deep breath in as he twisted at the waist to look back towards the gate.

"You are not. Please have a seat and I will inspect your injury."

Jack realised he wasn't going to fool Teal'c and sat down reluctantly. He pulled his shirt over his head and winced as Teal'c pulled the tape holding the gauze off his skin.

"O'Neill you are bleeding but it is not severe. If we continue at a leisurely pace you will not aggravate this further."

"Fine. You set the pace."

After several minutes of silent walking Jack began to speak.

"T. What was going on between Carter and Daniel last night?"

"To what do you refer?"

"I heard them that night. Couldn't hear what they were saying, but I remember they were shouting at each other. That's not like them."

"Indeed. It appears to be a condition that is becoming contagious O'Neill."

Jack bristled at Teal'c's comment, but chose to ignore it. He wanted to know what had occured.

"Yesterday, Carter seemed pissed about something. I heard her mutter something about Daniel being an ass in her sleep."

"I was under the impression you slept for most of the day yesterday."

"I did, but not the entire time. I was awake for a few moments. Don't change the subject."

"Daniel Jackson and Major Carter had a disagreement but talked it through."

"About what? C'mon T."

"Daniel Jackson was questioning Major Carter regarding your injuries and Major Carters decision to tell you what had transpired with the gate."

"Fer cryin out loud Teal'c. Really? I would rather Carter tell me the truth than lie to me. I thought Daniel knew that."

"He did not wish to cause you more stress in the fear that it would hinder your recovery."

"Well telling me a lie wouldn't have helped. What else?"

"Daniel Jackson was also concerned about the welfare of Major Carter and insisted she stay behind and take the opportunity to rest."

"Ah." Jack immediately envisioned Carter's response to Daniel. "Which day was that?"

"The day you emerged from your tent. Two days ago."

"So she did take a day off. Good for Daniel."

"They discussed the events yesterday and have come to a truce."

"Great." Teal'c could hear the sarcasm in his voice.

"Do you have something you wish to discus with us O'Neill?"

"Not right now I don't. Why, do you?"

"I do not. If I did, I would mention them immediately to prevent conflict."

Jack had no response and continued on in silence.

* * *

Sam and Daniel talked avidly their entire trip to the village. They discussed the predicament with the gate and the significance of the frequent earthquakes. Daniel eventually brought up the subject which he was hesitant to do so. 

"What about Jack."

"What about him?"

"His mood swings."

"Has he said anything to you?"

"No. You?"

"No."

"How long was he in his foul mood before we came here the first time?"

"More than a week."

"Do you know why?" Daniel saw anger flash over her and misread it. "I'm not insinuating anything. Just you notice much more than I do."

"I know Daniel. I think I have an idea why."

"You think it's your fault?"

"Yes and no."

"Sam, I don't think this is your fault."

"What about that day in the infirmary after we were chased off that planet."

"The one where they accused you of stealing?"

"Yes."

"Jack knows you'd never steal anything."

"Not that. He made a comment to you guys that if I had kept my mouth shut, you'd would've been able to visit that museum."

"You were there?"

"I went back to talk to Janet. I overheard the Colonel and left before you saw me."

"Sam, you know he just said that out of frustration. He didn't mean it. None of us blame you for that. Jack was having a miserable time with Janet. She kept him later than the rest of us."

Daniel paused and thought back to that day. Sam was right, Jacks bad mood had become noticeable soon after that mission. He knew Sam was wrong about being the cause of the bad mood. Jack had apologized for his comment after Daniel had defended her but Sam hadn't heard that, then Jack had been late for that briefing and had stayed silent unless asked a direct question. Daniel figured he was just grumpy and would be back to his usual self the following day. That had not happened, and his mood had become worse. Daniel had gone to talk to General Hammond about an artifact SG-11 had brought back, but the office door had been closed. He could see Jack and Janet arguing passionately inside, and left, thinking he could catch the General later. He relayed his thoughts to Sam.

"What do you think they were talking about?"

"I couldn't say Daniel. Janet didn't mention anything and neither did the Colonel."

"If it was about one of us, we'd know by now."

"Yeah, so it must be the Colonel they were discussing. You're right though."

"About what?"

"He did get grumpier then."

"That's when we started the recon missions."

"So a combination of the two?"

"But why did he snap last night?"

"I think it was something I said."

"I must've missed it."

"He commented he wanted to go to the gate and I hesitated. I didn't know if he would be up for the trip, and didn't want him collapsing on the way back."

"I remember, he said something like he may be of no use."

"Yes. That's when his tone changed. That gives us a clue."

"To what?"

"Well, think about it. He feels of no use and Janet must've had some serious concerns about him to have a meeting with General Hammond."

"You think Janet has something to do with this?"

"I'll bet that's why we've had the easy missions recently."

"You think the Colonel's ill?"

"Or something like that."

"Daniel, you know we're just speculating here. It's best if we just ask him."

"And have him bite my head off! No thank you."

"Wait for the right time. I'm sure he'll talk eventually."

They had reached the village and Daniel walked straight towards the well, Sam following, deep in thought. Now they had to get the Colonel talking.


	24. Chapter 24

Sam and Daniel reached the camp an hour or so before dark. Sam immediately hooked her laptop up to the solar charger as it had died halfway back when she had attempted to check on the recent earthquake. There had been a total of 4 that they had felt so far, ranging from 3.5 to 4.6. Daniel unloaded the water they had brought and started the process of boiling it. He hoped he could have it all boiled by nightfall so the water could cool overnight. Teal'c built a large hot fire as Jack hunted through their options for dinner.

The evening continued in a pleasant mood for all, with much talking and laughter. Jack was closely observing Carter and Daniel for any signs of their previous argument lingering. He didn't want the entire team to be at each others throats if they were stuck here indefinitely. At the same time, Carter was watching for signs of him tiring. Not to long after nightfall, she bade everyone a good night and headed for her tent, knowing that Jack would never be the first one to bed. Not too long after she laid down, she heard Jack going into his tent and Daniel and Teal'c cleaning up. Daniel whispered that he had been about to go to bed when she had left, accompanied by a knowing smile. Sam grinned back and let sleep wash over her.

* * *

Jack dreamed about being on a boat. He was being tossed around by the waves and woke up with a start to find Teal'c bolt upright. Jack registered the earthquake and brushed off his dream. As the shaking subsided, Teal'c called over to the others to check they were ok. As it was dark, there was no point in getting up to check for damage. They had put the fire out completely so there was no worry of fire starting. As they were about to drift off a stronger earthquake struck. This one caused Sam and Daniel's tent to collapse on them. Hearing Daniel yelp, Jack attempted to climb out of the tent, but Teal'c held him in place. 

"T. What are you doing?"

"O'Neill. We must wait for the earthquake to subside."

"Fine, where's your flashlight."

"Here." Teal'c handed Jack his flashlight as the shaking stopped. Jack immediately turned it on and went to check on Daniel. He almost laughed at the sight that met his eyes. Daniel had been moving with the ground and the tent had wrapped around him. He was disoriented and desperately trying to get out the wrong end. Jack held the side with the door up and allowed Carter and Daniel to exit. Carter, flashlight ready, thanked him and went to get her laptop. Daniel, finally emerging, started to put the tent back up with some assistance from Teal'c. Jack double checked the fire pit to make sure nothing had escaped and had tried to start an unwanted fire despite Teal'c's assurances that the fire was out. He sat down next to Carter and attempted to read of the screen.

"Sir?"

"What happened?"

"I don't think the second one was an aftershock. It was stronger than the first."

"Ok. What does that mean?"

"I can't be sure. All I know, is that we should find a way home quickly."

"How?"

"We've got to get the gate working. Tomorrow."

Daniel and Teal'c joined them. No one seemed to be interested in going back to sleep so they stayed up and made plans for the following day. As they talked Jack turned his flashlight upwards. Was it snowing? Sam immediately jumped up and collected several 'snowflakes'.

"Carter."

"Sir, it's ash."

"Ash as in..."

"I think the second earthquake was the volcano erupting."


	25. Chapter 25

Sam ran for the FRED and grabbed one of her shirts. She took out her knife and turned the shirt into four strips of material. She handed one to each person.

"What are we supposed to do with these?"

"Ash, when it comes into contact with water can turn into a concrete like substance. If you breathe enough in, your lungs will solidify."

Jack's eyebrows shot into his forehead as Teal'c tied the material over his own mouth and nose, copying Sam. Daniel looked warily at her and followed suit. Jack struggled to get his hands behind his head, as he could feel pain flowing through him when he tried. Daniel, noticing his difficulty, stood up to help him.

"Now what should we do?"

"We should gather what we need and pack it. Only essentials. Food, water, warm clothes..."

"No books Danny."

"Sir, I should redo the gauze on your back now, while we can."

Teal'c pulled everything off the FRED and he and Daniel went through what they had, sorting items into what they needed to put in their packs and what they could leave behind. Sam carefully, yet quickly changed the Colonel's gauze, noting that it had stopped bleeding. Finished, they all grabbed their packs and had some discussion as to anything else they would need. Daniel wanted to bring some wood for a fire, seeing as Teal'c and he had some room. Sam didn't want to but Jack agreed with the other two. If they found shelter they would need a fire to cook something warm, and he didn't want to risk going outside.

"Which direction do you wish to travel Major Carter?"

"I'd like to head for the shore."

"Is that wise Sam? Wouldn't be risking walking into another tsunami?"

"What about going somewhere with a high vantage point Carter? We could see what was going on in the morning."

"Sir, I'm worried that if we choose a high point, we could be standing on the side of the volcano unknowingly."

"Good point."

"If we go to the shore, yes we are risking another tsunami, but it's an open space. The biggest one I can think of."

"Why in the open? Shouldn't we be finding shelter?"

"Daniel, I don't know where this volcano is or what kind of eruption has occurred. If it's close and there are chances of a pyroclastic flow occurring, we won't be safe, no matter where we are. If it's further away, being down there will give us a chance to see where it's coming from."

"I am unfamiliar with the term pyroclastic flow, Major Carter."

"It's a cloud of hot gasses, ash, and rock which flows across the ground at speeds up to 100miles/hr. It can be so hot, it will incinerate anything in it's path."

"Can we see it in the dark?" Daniel was starting to feel panic rising within him. He had handled all sorts of deadly situations before, but this one was beginning to top the list.

"We should be able to see a red glow. In daylight it's a massive grey cloud. We'll hear it first though as it will sound like rolling thunder."

"All ready? Let's move out." Jack gave the command and followed Teal'c into the forest. He could see the worry on Carter's face, and the panic on Daniels and reasoned the best way to keep them calm, was to keep them moving.

* * *

It took several hours to reach the shore but they got there just before the sun rose. Walking through the trees had protected them a little from the ash but now, in the open, the ash was falling like a heavy snowstorm. At the edge of the treeline, Jack stopped and dropped the pack he had insisted on carrying. Sam peered through her binoculars towards the horizon, trying to see where the volcano was. Teal'c spotted it, far away in the distance. Daniel felt slightly comforted by the distance between him and the volcano, but not enough to sit down as Jack was doing. 

"Carter. Where do we go now?"

"Now I know where the eruption is occurring, I would suggest we go back to the gate and get it to work."

"Can we Sam?"

"If we can get it out, we should be able to manually dial."

"What other choice do we have?" Jack was sitting on his pack pushing the small amount of ash by his feet around.

"I agree with Major Carter. We must try to remove the gate. As O'Neill stated, it is our only option."

Sam took one last look at the volcano on the horizon, then followed her team back into the forest. The daylight made walking easier but it was still slow going as Teal'c had set a pace to accommodate O'Neill. Jack was struggling with his pack, which was causing him some mild irritation, and hadn't noticed the pace. Sam tried to pick between the lesser of two evils. Either remove his pack and have him pick up the speed, or leave his pack where it was and keep him distracted. One could cause further damage to the skin on his back, and the other, while still able to cause milder damage, could push him to exhaustion much quicker. A quick glance from Daniel made her decision for her. Leave him as he was.

At the gate, Teal'c crawled right up to the hole. The ash was now several inches deep, making the sides of the fissure very unstable. He untied the ropes they had left on the gate the day before and brought them back to the others.

"Major Carter, I suggest that I tie the rope around myself and investigate the buried gate, to see if there is any easier way to remove it."

"Ok Teal'c. Give the end to Daniel."

Sam tied another rope around her waist and hesitantly handed the end to the Colonel. She wanted to get a closer look, but there was no way that Daniel would be able to hold onto her and Teal'c if either slipped. She joined Teal'c peering over the edge of the drop and used her gloved hands to shovel as much of the ash and sand away from the gate. The covering over her mouth and nose slipped, and she inhaled some of the cloud of ash created by hers and Teal'c's hand movements. She coughed violently, attempting to get as much of it out of her lungs as possible. She waved to Daniel to let him know she was ok, adjusted her mask and continued. After what felt like hours, Teal'c pulled back. The bank he was lying on was starting to give, and he didn't want to end up finding out how deep it was. As Daniel held Teal'c's rope taut, Jack tugged on Carter's several times to give her the hint to return. The moment she turned towards him, the ground beneath her gave, cascading down onto the gate. She held onto the rope and pulled herself towards him amazed at the amount of ash that had fallen. There was a good 2 inches on the ground now and as she stood up and walked, a small cloud followed in her wake. She joined the others, fighting the urge to cough. They retreated to the trees, out of the ash and discussed their options.

"T. What d'ya reckon?"

"Regarding the gate, I do not believe we will be able to remove it."

"Great. Carter?"

"I agree with Teal'c. Not until this ash fall quits. The ground surrounding the crack is too unstable to risk trying to pull it out and whatever we dig out will just be replaced when the sand and ash fall back in."

"Danny?"

"I'm going to stick with Sam and Teal'c on this one. I think we should get out of here, and find some sort of shelter before night falls."

"How long till that happens?"

"Sir, I'm guessing that's in 4 hours, but with the eruption clouding the skies, it could get darker soon. It's already much darker than it should be for the time."

"Anywhere particular we want to take shelter?"

"Sir, I'm guessing the caves would be the best place."

"Carter, I'm not too sure about that."

"Jack, didn't you say there was two shield devices in there?"

"Yeah, one for earthquakes, and one for, well, I'm guessing for tsunamis, but neither worked too well."

"It's a warning though. It would help, right Sam?"

"O'Neill, did you not say that the water rose rapidly and almost to the top of the cave? If there was another tsunami would we not be safer further away from the water?"

"Carter?" Jack had no clue what the answer would be to that, so he redirected it to one who might.

"I think the safest place to be, is on the shore. We can keep an eye out on the volcano that way. If there's another tsunami, we will have to climb up the side of the caves."

"Sam, is that possible?"

"We'll have to check it out when we get there."

Sam broke down coughing, and removed the material from her mouth to spit out what had loosened in her lungs. Jack whipped his head around to look at her, as Daniel patted her back.

"You ok Carter?"

"Yes. Just getting the last of it out I think."

"Alright, here's the plan. We'll go back to the caves and check out a possible escape route incase we need one. If it doesn't work, we'll think of something else. Any questions?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"Move out."


	26. Chapter 26

They arrived at the caves before the sun set. Due to the never ending ash falling, it appeared much later than it really was. Jack glanced upwards and could barely see the top of the trees he knew where above the roof of the cave. He immediately proposed he start the climb up as he had seen the rock face in daylight. Teal'c had stepped in when Carter protested, claiming as the only member who was uninjured, it would be safest if he went.

He took one of the ropes he'd removed off the gate and started the treacherous climb up. Once at the top he had a better vantage point and was able to see an alternate route up, one which had a gentler slope. Jack looked at it in surprise, as it had been hidden behind another rock formation, hanging precariously on the other side of the large cave. Teal'c tossed the end of the rope down after securing it to a sturdy tree and the three of them still on the shore, used it to pull themselves up. Once they were all seated, a deafening silence encircled the group as they stared in the direction of the volcano, trying desperately to see anything. As what little daylight they had diminished, Jack and Daniel climbed down, with Sam and Teal'c following, carrying branches and logs. Inside the cave Teal'c started a fire and a small meal was rationed out. After a small discussion regarding the order of watches, each member staked their own bit of wall and ground, and three of them curled up for some rest. Daniel sat at the mouth of the cave watching the tide come in, watching for a distinct red glow.

* * *

Jack woke up when he heard Daniel coughing. He wandered over to where Daniel was and sat down, mindful of his back. 

"Jack."

"Daniel."

"What're you doing up?"

"Can't sleep."

"Back bothering you?"

"It's fine."

"Is it bothering you Jack?" That earned Daniel a glare, that once upon a time would've made him shake in his shoes.

"Not to a point where I can't sleep. I just don't feel like sleeping, alright."

"Ok. Gotcha."

"When's next watch."

"20min."

"I'll take Carters. I'm up anyway, may as well let her sleep."

"Uh, sure. You thirsty?"

"For a beer? Sure."

"Funny Jack. I was just going to get my water, you want yours?"

"Nah, I'm good. Why don't I finish up the rest of your watch too."

"I can do it."

"I know you can Danny. If you would like an extra 20 min of sleep, go. If not, stay up."

Daniel shrugged at Jack and in response, walked over to his sleeping bag, laid down on top, and promptly fell asleep. Jack turned on his flashlight, walked out of the cave, and shone it out into the night. The ash was not falling as thickly now and he could see the trees on the top of the cave. He hoped that was a good sign. He didn't wander far, but wanted to get some air. He almost laughed when he thought that. If he wanted air, he'd be better off inside where there was no ash. Paranoid about breathing the stuff in, Carter had worn her mask to sleep. He had seen her head poking out of the sleeping bag and had grinned at the humerous sight.

Teal'c had the right idea, he thought. He had covered himself completely in his sleeping bag and didn't have to wear that uncomfortable bit of cloth over his mouth. Jack tugged at his. At first he had not fully believed Carter, but after hearing her hack up a lung for most of the day, had decided as she was much smarter than him, to listen to her. Go figure. He'd worked with her for 7 years and he still had to learn that Carter was right 99 percent of the time. The other 1 percent of the time, she had been unconscious, on another mission, or kidnapped by the enemy. He headed back to the cave, and sat in the same spot Daniel had vacated not long ago. He grinned as he heard Daniel snore slightly. Apparently he had been tired as it hadn't taken him long to start. He gazed out into the night, watching for anything more unusual than what they had already experienced.

* * *

The tide had come in to lap around his feet, the noise of the water echoing through the cave. When Daniel had taken a closer look at the cave, he had discovered that half of the ground inside was higher up than the slight dip at the mouth by a few inches. All their belongings had been placed there, and that was where his team mates currently slept, hoping they would be spared from getting wet. The water was thicker and had a muddy texture to it so the waves lapping the cave wall where much louder than they should've been. Jack suddenly heard a moan from within the cave and turned carefully back towards the noise. He found Carter tossing in her sleeping bag. He took the few steps to her side and shook her gently. Instead of waking up, she cried out, terrified. Daniel woke up and sleepily turned to Jack. 

"What's goin on, " he slurred.

"Carter. Nightmare I think."

"K." Jack heard the rustling as Daniel crawled out of his warm sleeping bag and walked to his side.

"I think it's the sound of the water... Carter."

He received an earful of gibberish and they tried to determine what she was talking about. Jack, his hand still on her shoulder, shook her again, a little rougher this time. Her eyes snapped open and tried to focus on something. Daniel waved his hand in front of her face in an attempt to get her eyes to follow as Jack put his arm underneath her and attempted to sit her up. Instead of waking and talking to them, her bloodshot eyes rolled backwards as she raised her voice.

"Did you catch that?"

"I got water coming and something about a blue light?"

"Damn."

"What?"

"The first time we were here we almost drowned. I didn't think she'd remember any of it."

"Can we wake her up? That last try didn't work too well."

"I believe Major Carter has the need to feel safe. If we assure her she is, she may calm down." Teal'c's head had emerged from his cocoon.

"How do we do that?" Jack was still holding Carter with one arm and he was beginning to find the position uncomfortable.

"Here." Daniel grabbed one of her hands as Jack tried to adjust the way he was sitting. Carter twisted and cried out again almost falling out of his grasp. Without thinking, Jack put both arms around her and sat closer so he was holding her to him. Daniel spoke calmly to her, explaining that they were all here, and there was no water or blue light. Teal'c rose and went to investigate the echos he could hear.

"I believe the noise of the tide, amplified by the caves, is causing Major Carter's distress."

"We can't take her outside T. The tide's coming in still. She'll stay dry in here."

As Daniel had been talking to her, Sam had calmed down considerably. Jack moved to place her back down on the ground, but the instant he moved, her eyes opened. He could tell she wasn't awake, but there was panic written all over her face. Gently he pulled her closer to him again.

"Now what?"

"I have heard of this Tau'ri issue before. Under extreme stress or after trauma the mind can recreate the incident and you can have great difficulty waking this person up."

"Where d'ya hear that Teal'c?"

"It was in a book, purchased by Daniel Jackson."

"Danny?"

"Hey, I don't just read history books ya know."

"So leave her be?"

"Probably the best thing right now. Give her a bit, see if she stays calm, and try waking her again."

Daniel's suggestion emerged between yawns. Jack waved him off, and he crawled back to sleep. Teal'c took Sam's watch and Jack made himself comfortable, not knowing how long he would need to be there.

* * *

Sam heard a noise and opened her eyes. Not seeing anything in the dark, she reached for her flashlight. Turning it on, she accidentally shone it directly onto the Colonel's face who was much closer than she had expected him to be. He opened an eye and mumbled something along the lines of 'your watch,' and fell back asleep again. The noise she had heard was Daniels snoring, while not as bad as usual, sounded slightly off. She wandered over to him and discovered he had slept without anything protecting his mouth and nose. She prodded him awake, tied the material over his face, and he'd drifted back off again. Noticing Teal'c's vacant spot, Sam walked towards the entrance, assuming he would be watching for any changes. She saw his muscular frame in the center of the entrance, and he turned as she approached. 

"Are you feeling rested Major Carter?"

"Yes."

"Do you remember the events of a few hours ago?"

"You mean walking here? Yes." Sam was puzzled.

"I am referring to a bad dream you experienced last night."

"I had a bad dream?"

"Your sleep was disturbed and O'Neill and Daniel Jackson calmed you down."

As Teal'c spoke, images of being submerged flashed into her mind. Had she had a nightmare? She didn't remember enough of it to say for sure.

"Well, I'm feeling rested anyways Teal'c. You guys didn't wake me for my turn."

"O'Neill was already awake, and I too woke earlier, so we both took different watches."

"Ah, thanks. It's my turn now, so go ahead."

Sam gestured towards the inside of the caves as Teal'c bowed his head before following the direction of her hand. Sam found a spot on the ground, with her back to the cave wall, and a clear line of vision towards the volcano. It was going to start getting lighter soon and with the ash fall tapering off overnight, she was hoping to be able to catch a glimpse of the damage done.

* * *

The sun rose to to reveal a grey world. Everything was covered in the ash, several inches deep. Heavy clouds were on the horizon, but Sam managed to get a good view of the volcano through the binoculars. A thin wisp of smoke curled up from one peak and she assumed that was where the eruption had occurred. One by one, her team mates joined her in silence, taking in the view. Jack broke the peace first. 

"What's gonna happen today?"

"I do not believe we can predict the future O'Neill."

"I'll be right back. Just going to grab the laptop."

"Carter, grab my water while you're in there."

"How are you feeling this morning O'Neill?"

"Better. You?"

"I am well."

"Jack, we'll need to change the gauze again."

"How much of that stuff do we have? You can't keep changing it if we don't have much left!"

"Well, at least let Sam check it."

"It's fine."

"Have you looked at it this morning?"

"Daniel, how the hell could I look at my own back without a mirror?"

"I believe that was Daniel Jackson's point."

"Not you too Teal'c?"

"Sam, anything?" Daniel was a little relieved at the chance to change the subject as Sam returned.

"Other than a few micro quakes a few hours ago, nothing."

"This mean we're safe for now Carter?"

"I have no way of telling Sir. We could be, or that was just a sample of what this thing could throw at us."

"So we just sit and wait?"

"We should go back to the gate."

"That would be unwise Daniel Jackson."

"T?"

"I presume that those clouds moving towards this location will cause it to rain."

"Teal'c's right. If it rains, we'll get wet with a limited supply of wood to keep a fire going, and all the ash combined with the rain will turn it into mud, hiding any hazards in our path."

"As I said, we just sit and wait."

"Sir, I do need to check your.." Carter was cut short as he threw her a glare he only usually reserved for Janet and her needles.

"Fine."

Sam followed Jack into the cave where he sat down, harder than he had intended. He sucked in a large breath as daggers felt as if they were piercing him. He pulled up his shirt and she removed the gauze.

"What's the damage?"

"There's a bit of blood on the gauze but it seems to be healing properly. The redness is still there, but the swelling is gone."

"How much gauze do you have left?"

"I grabbed as much as there was. Two days if we change it today."

Despite his protests, Sam changed the gauze, as she didn't want it to get infected again. This one would have to stay on longer, and by the time she used the last of it, she hoped they'd have found a way home.

_AN: A child I once knew, after being in a horrible car accident had dreams, where she would start screaming, and you couldn't wake her up. Her eyes would open and roll back, she would talk but you couldn't understand her, and would actually stand up sometimes. The only way to get her back to sleep was to hold her close, talk to her, and have familiar sounds (TV, radio ) in the background. I don't know the medical term for it, but that experience is what I used for Sam. _


	27. Chapter 27

Being confined to a small area was not riding well with Jack. He wanted to go out and do something, but the warning about the impending rain mixing with the ash restrained him somewhat. After Carter had finished with him, he'd paced, sat, and paced some more. His mood had turned more sour with each hour of inactivity. Finally Teal'c had suggested they climb up above the cave and see if they could collect any wood for the fire. Daniel and Sam stayed behind. Sam wanted a closer look at the device on the wall. She had vague recollections of looking at it before, and was itching to have another look. Daniel had borrowed her laptop, and was examining pictures he'd taken of the statue in the first village. The minute the Colonel and Teal'c had left, she scaled the cave wall, ignoring Daniel's half hearted comments for her to come back down. After a few minutes, Daniel realised she wasn't listening, and engrossed himself in his work.

* * *

"Sam, I think it's starting to rain." 

Jack and Teal'c had been gone for at least an hour. Sam was still investigating, and while she had climbed down twice to check her notes, was back, clinging to the device.

"Radio Teal'c and Colonel O'Neill. If they're in the forest they might not notice."

"Jack, Teal'c."

"What." Jack's irritated voice came through the radio.

"It's starting to rain here. You guys might wanna head back."

"We noticed. Should be there soon. O'Neill out."

"Wow. He's pissed."

"About what now..." Sam easily carried on the conversation while trying to pry open the main pannel on the device.

"Have you talked to him?"

"No. You?"

"No. You gonna?"

"No."

"Why not Sam?"

"He's more likely to talk to you."

"Why?"

"I don't know Daniel. I just think you'd be better off talking to him. As a friend. I'm his 2IC, he's not going to talk to me."

"You won't know unless you try." Daniel knew he was fighting a loosing battle. He also realised that Sam was pretty close to the truth. He was more likely to get Jack to open up as he had done in the past.

"If we come up with a plan and both talk to him, maybe we'll get somewhere."

"Ok. How do we do that without pissing him off even more?"

"I don't think we can."

"Sam, you really still don't think that this is somehow your fault do you?"

"Daniel." Sam's voice held a warning in it.

"There's no way that all of this could've been caused by you. Not unless you kidnapped his Simpsons collection and held it ransom."

"Funny Daniel."

"Think about it. I bet it's got something to do with the meeting with Janet and the General."

"We won't know until we ask him."

"Jack, what did you Janet and Hammond talk about that made you so grumpy? Just doesn't flow too well. Sam, would you please climb down. You're making me nervous."

"Daniel I'm fine."

"Carter, I strongly suggest you do as Daniel suggests."

Sam whirled around to see Colonel O'Neill standing behind Daniel, arms folded across his chest, his anger steaming off him. She scrambled down as fast as she could and stood at attention before him.

"What are you doing?"

"Sir, I wanted to get a closer look at the device as I ..."

"The last time you were up there, you fell and landed hard. Can you predict the next earthquake?"

"No Sir."

"Then I order you to stay away from that thing until you can."

"Yes Sir."

"Now I believe you two had something to ask me?"

"Uh, Jack, um well, you see..."

"Spit it out Daniel."

"Why are you being such an ass?"

"That was your question?"

"Yes. We're trying to figure out what happened to piss you off. Sam thinks she did something, I disagree. Care to settle our wager?"

Jack turned to Sam and she saw his eyes burning with anger. She stood her ground and waited for his response. Teal'c stood behind O'Neill, intrigued. He too was curious as to the cause of his recent distemper.

"No."

"Jack, there's something wrong, and we want to help.."

"Daniel, you can't help. None of you can. Just drop it."

"In other words, forget about it until something happens and we are blindsided by some sort of horrible news?"

"Yes."

"Wait until General Hammond splits the team up coz we can't get along anymore?"

"That won't happen." Daniel heard a hint of sorrow in Jack's voice and hoped the anger he was stirring would cool soon.

"Why not?"

"Coz I said so. Now forget it."

Jack turned around and stomped towards the entrance of the cave. He positioned himself so that his back was towards the entrance, trying to make it clear that he didn't want to talk to anyone right now. Sam looked upset and Daniel wanted to go up to Jack and beat whatever was getting to him, out of him. Knowing that would only result in him being injured by Jack, Daniel settled for pacing around the cave. Teal'c unloaded the wood they had recovered and asked Sam how best to remove the ash without creating a cloud inside the cave. Glad for the distraction, she helped Teal'c light a fire, and start drying the damp wood out.

In just over an hour, Jack returned inside, visibly calmer. Daniel was astonished at the change. Seeing Jack as angry as he had been, Daniel had estimated it would be dawn before Jack calmed down enough to speak civilly.

"Carter."

"Yes Sir?" He winced. She was nervous and he was the cause.

"What does all this rain mean?"

"Sir?"

"Is it bad or good?"

"Both. The moisture means that the ash will settle on the ground, instead of floating in the air. We won't have to worry as much about breathing it in."

"Good?"

"Yes. The bad part is that the rain, combined with the ash will turn into mud and could set."

"As in like concrete?"

"Yes. Also, it can create landslides. Massive mud filled landslides that can take out everyting in its path. The ash is like dry snow. Once you add moisture, it becomes unstable on slopes, and will follow gravity towards the lowest point."

"Ok. Snow, avalanche. Gotcha."

"Similar."

"Are we safe here?"

"Possibly. The top of the cave is the highest point around us, so I don't see any mudslides happening in the immediate area, but where our camp was, I wouldn't be going back anytime soon."

"What about the gate?"

"When Teal'c and I were digging the ground was already unstable. Adding moisture will make it a hundred times worse."

"Daniel, how much food do we have?"

"Enough for 3 days at the current rate."

"I have some soup packages in my pack Daniel Jackson."

"Really?"

"I find them most enjoyable O'Neill and they will prove useful."

"Yeah. How about water?"

"Enough for 2 days Sir."

"More food than water. Great. Any chance we can collect some of this rain?"

"The rain will require filtering."

"We've got our tablets. Won't that work?"

"No. We'll have to strain it, boil it, strain it again, then use the tablets."

"Can we do that?"

"Maybe."

"Ok, Carter, you start on that. Daniel and Teal'c see if we can stretch the rations further. We may be here for a while yet. I've gotta change."

Sam blinked at him in astonishment. She, like Daniel, hadn't expected to see this side of the Colonel for a while. He grinned at her and shook his jacket. Little bits of dried mud flew off onto Daniel, who let out a whine. Sam grinned back and left to figure out the most efficient way to collect water.

* * *

The rain stopped before dusk, and the clouds cleared. Not willing to go anywhere and end up wandering in the dark, Teal'c and Daniel had started the process of trying to make the rain water drinkable. Jack had climbed the slope leading to the top of the cave, and sat on a protruding rock, cleaned off by the water. Sam joined him as the sun was setting. Jack looked up at her and patted a bit of rock next to him and she sat. They stared out in silence, watching the brilliant shades of red and orange flash over the sky. 

"Wow."

"Uh huh."

"Don't think I've ever seen a sun set like this before."

"It's caused by the ash in the atmosphere.."

"Carter, just enjoy it, don't analyse it."

"Yes Sir."

He stretched out his legs and relaxed. Sam stayed where she was, back straight, ready to jump up at his command. He had to do some damage control as he knew he'd scared her earlier. Kicking himself, he thought back to when he had arrived in the cave. As he and Teal'c had entered, he'd heard Daniel ask Sam if she thought his foul mood was her fault. He'd opened his mouth to say how ridiculous that was, when he spotted Carter holding on to the device. He thought his heart had stopped and the memory of what had happened the last time had caused him to overreact. Thinking about it, scaring her had been incredibly stupid. She could've let go and fallen again. He'd just seen her up there, and reacted without thinking of the consequences. Now she was nervous, and doubting herself. He had to set things right.

"Carter."

"Yes Sir?"

"It's not your fault."

"Yes Sir."

"I mean it."

"Are you going to tell us what is going on?"

"Not now."

"When."

"I don't know Carter. Soon."

"Why not now?"

"Please Carter. Don't push it."

"Sir, we're all worried about you."

"Fine, I'll make you a deal."

"Ok."

"The second we get off this planet, I'll tell you. Happy?"

"No. I'll hold you to that."

"I know you will."

They watched the rest of the breathtaking sunset in silence, only returning when the stars were visible.


	28. Chapter 28

The night had been much warmer than usual. Carter explained that the ash in the atmosphere was trapping the heat inside, not allowing it to escape and cooling off the planet. Daniel had complained about the additional heat off the fire, but when Jack pointed out that without the fire, they would have no light, Daniel made no further comments. Daniel shot Sam a sideways look. He wanted to know what had happened earlier but Sam only shook her head. After they had eaten their small dinner, they agreed on the watches and tried to sleep. Teal'c and Sam were out in no time, but Daniel couldn't sleep. He was too warm. He stayed up with Jack, watching for ominous signs of trouble in the black night.

* * *

The sun rose and filled the sky with vivid shades of red. Sam enjoyed the moment of beauty before checking to see if anyone else was awake. Jack was slowly getting up and Teal'c opened his eyes when she looked at him. 

"Good morning Major Carter."

"Mornin Teal'c, Colonel."

"Yeah, Danny up yet?"

"No. I'm not." Daniel rolled over and covered his head to block out any light. Jack smirked and started a fire. In no time Daniel would be drooling at the aroma of coffee, courtesy of Jack.

"How's it lookin out there Carter?"

"Clear. I don't think it'll rain today."

"Good. We've gotta go get water."

"Sir, the volcanic ash and water mixture will not have set. It could be very dangerous walking around, especially if there were mudslides."

"How bad can it be. Just some mud on the ground."

"It'll be like walking in concrete that isn't quite set yet with an unknown and ever changing depth. We could easily break an ankle or get stuck."

"So how long's it gonna take?"

"If it gets warmer, this afternoon, If it's cool like this for most of the morning, tonight at the earliest."

"Will the ground be easy to travel on Major Carter?"

"In some places, it could be. In others, well, it'll be fairly friable."

"As in break through when we step on it?"

"Yes Sir."

"So tomorrow then?"

"That'd be the safest plan, providing we don't get any more rain."

The smell of fresh coffee brought Daniel towards the group. He grabbed a mug and sat down, not wishing to be dragged into a conversation just yet.

"Hey, look who's alive!"

"Jack."

"Daniel."

"Jack. Not awake yet."

"Sir, perhaps we should take a look at the immediate area surrounding us. See if there's any potential hazards."

"Hazards?"

"More like see where the mud is setting. I really don't want it to end up sliding onto us."

"Ok. Carter, how d'ya wanna do this?"

"I suggest that we climb up on top of the cave and split up."

"I thought you said spitting up wasn't a good idea?"

"Not for long. Just to cover as much area as possible. I don't want to go more than a mile from this area."

"Radios?"

"We've got two that work."

"Ok. Carter you're with Daniel, Teal'c you're with me."

Daniel scrambled to get his boots on as Jack and Teal'c exited. Once outside, the others were no where in sight. Sam started the climb up with Daniel following shortly behind. The side of the caves were grey but not too slippery. They could clearly see Jack and Teal'cs footprints up the slope, and heading off towards the left. Daniel and Sam took the right.

"What are we looking for Sam?"

"Any build-up of ash."

"Why?"

"If it's drying we're ok for now, but if it rains before it sets completely, it could slide downwards."

"And..."

"It could bury us in the cave."

"Ah, remind me why we're there again?"

"It was the safest place the other night. Still could be. Here let's go this way."

They scoured most of the hill surrounding them finding nothing of concern. It took a longer than usual as in some spots thier feet fell through the mostly hard ash water mixture. Keeping in radio contact, they co ordinated with Teal'c and Jack who were checking out the flatter ground and cliffs further along the shore. Sam and Daniel radioed Jack and informed him that they were returning to the caves after finding nothing. Jack and Teal'c joined them shortly after in the caves and Teal'c commented that one of the clif faces they had spotted looked like it had been weakened by the recent rain and earthquakes. It wasn't close enough to cause them any worry where they were, they had to stay clear of the area though.

* * *

As soon as it was light enough to see, the team started off to get water. The filtered rain had helped their supply but now it was dwindling significantly as was their food supply. Daniel suggested if all of them went, they would be able to get corn and water and carry enough for several days back to the caves. Sam wanted to check on the seismographs and the MALP as she hadn't gotten any readings overnight. At the gate, she realised why. The satellite on the MALP was caked in dry mud. She pulled out her knife to try to chisel some of the mud off, as Teal'c and Jack checked out the gate. 

"Teal'c, what d'ya reckon?"

"I do not believe the gate can be moved anytime soon."

"Yah. Kinda figured that."

Jack kicked the side of the DHD in frustration. The gate was submerged in the mixture which was solid enough to stand on as Teal'c was currently doing. Jack turned to ask Teal'c a question when he heard Carter swear and drop her knife.

"Carter?"

"Nothing Sir."

"Uh, Sam, that's a lot of blood for nothing."

"Carter?"

"Just a small cut Sir."

"Daniel?"

"Sam, let me see."

"It's nothing Daniel. Just slipped with the knife."

"Sam, what's this?"

Jack started striding over to them as Daniel inspected her hand. There was a piece of metal sticking out about 2 inches and he couldn't see where it entered her skin, as the blood was pouring out of the palm. He grabbed his water and went to pour it over the wound when Jack stopped him.

"Wait. It might get worse if you pour water on it and dislodge the shard."

"Ok. So now what?"

"Carter, how did this happen?"

"I slipped with the knife and sliced myself."

"I don't think so Carter. Looks like you jammed something else in there."

Jack looked at the MALP and the small satellite dish. There was a piece of metal missing and it appeared to be a similar shape and size to the one sticking out of Carters hand.

"Carter. We've gotta pull this out. Sit."

"You're just going to pull this out?"

"Gotta Daniel. Can't leave it in. Hold her hand still and get the water ready."

Daniel sat next to Sam with her hand resting on his knee. He held her wrist there with one hand and a water bottle with the other. Jack crouched down and took a look at Carter. She wasn't moving, but was pale, and he could see the muscles in her face tighten, telling him that she was clenching her teeth, anticipating pain. Teal'c stood directly behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders, to help keep her still and to comfort her. Jack took a deep breath and pulled the metal out. Daniel poured water onto her hand as blood dripped onto the ground, creating a stark contrast with the grey surface. Jack quickly bound her hand in some of the remaining gauze and bandages and she smiled weakly at him.

"Carter. You ok?"

"Yeah."

"Jack, maybe Sam and I should go back to the caves."

"No Daniel. I'm fine. We need to keep going."

"You heard her. Let's go."

Jack watched carefully as Daniel helped Carter to her feet. She was still pale and a little shaky and he knew she'd be fine, but he'd still keep a close eye on her.

* * *

The way back from the village to the caves took longer than the way there. All their packs were filled with food and water and the light was beginning to fade. Daniel had suggested that they cut through the forest instead of going back towards the gate, as they'd come out on the shore and spend less time walking in the forest. Jack had reluctantly agreed only after seeing Carters tired and still pale face watching him. As they approached the shore Jack felt the ground shift, violently. He turned as he fell, to look back at his team, who where also on the ground. Instead of passing, the shaking subsided slightly and continued. Jack saw the trees swaying side to side, and heard a creaking noise. He looked towards where Daniel was lying and saw the tree trunk behind him start to snap. He jumped up, grabbed Daniel's leg, and pulled him a few feet to safety. The tree fell into the spot Daniel had just vacated as Daniel stared wide eyed at Jack. 

"Thanks Jack."

"Nothin to it. Carter?"

"Fine Sir. Where's Teal'c?"

"I too am good. Why has not the ground ceased to shake?"

"We need to get to the shore. I need to see something."

"Carter?"

"Sir, there might not be much time. We need to go now!"

Jack hauled Daniel to his feet and chased after Teal'c and Carter, pushing branches out of his way and hoping desperately he wouldn't trip over anything in his path. He could hear Daniel behind him as he exited the trees. He stopped short before he ran directly into Carter.

"I thought we had to move?"

"I just needed to see what was going on." Carter was looking through her binoculars towards the volcano.

"What's going on then?" Jack was impatient.

"The volcano erupted again."

"Again? I thought it was done!"

"Looking at it right now, I think that the earlier eruption was just it letting off some steam."

"Where to now Major Carter?"

"Caves. If there's ash falling, the caves will be the best place."

"Danny?"

"Jack?"

"You ok?" Daniel had been breathing hard after the short run.

"Yeah, lets get going."

Jack set a quick pace through the growing dark and reached the caves before the ash started to fall. Once there, a discussion ensued regarding wood for the fire. Sam didn't want anyone going outside, while Daniel and Jack were concerned about the lack of wood to burn. Teal'c reminded Sam that without fire to cook or make the water drinkable, they would perish without the volcanoes help. She relented and they all climbed to the top again, and threw all they could collect before the ash cloud reached them, down to the mouth of the cave. Sam didn't notice the ash begin to fall in her hurry to collect wood. Only when Jack grabbed her arm and she looked up at his covered nose and mouth did she realise she'd left hers down below. He went to untie his and give it to her, but she stopped him and pulled the neck of her t-shirt up. He offered her a hand up and made his way towards the slope down. Halfway down he slipped and slid the rest, standing up and brushing himself off. The cloud of ash that followed in his wake flew straight into Sam's uncovered face. She coughed, lost her footing, and followed O'Neill's style of descent. She glided to a stop at his feet, knocking him over again, still coughing. He pulled her up roughly and dragged her into the cave. Daniel and Teal'c were bringing the wood into the shelter of the cave and had already created a large pile by one of the cave walls. Sam dropped to the ground coughing, as Jack grabbed his water bottle. She accepted and took sips between coughs.

"You ok?"

"Yeah. Will be now."

"You get any of that stuff inside?"

"Only a bit. I think most've it's out now."

"What happened Jack?"

"I slipped and Carter got a lungful of the ash."

"Then I slipped and knocked you over. You ok Sir?"

"Yeah."

Daniel looked skeptically towards Jack. He had been limping on his way in and Sam had been too busy coughing to notice. Jack shot him a warning look and Daniel returned to the task of bringing in all the wood. Sam's eyes stopped watering, her breathing returned to normal, and she got up to help. Jack shook his head at her stubbornness and followed.

* * *

Several hours later the ash was falling thickly. They could hear the rumble of the volcano as they huddled around the fire, waiting for the corn to cook. Jack had insisted on checking on her hand, so she did the same about his back. Daniel had to grin as he heard the two bickering about who should go first, until Jack ordered her to sit down and relinquish her hand. He peeled back the blood soaked gauze and dipped a bit of material in a cup of heated water. Sam gasped as he started to clean the area on her hand. She felt tingles down her back and shivered. 

"You cold?"

"No."

"Sure?"

"Yes."

"How bad does this hurt?"

"Not too bad. Just stinging a bit."

Jack carefully wiped the surrounding area and took a closer look at the wound. He knew that it was deep enough for stitches as the wound was wide and deep. He grabbed a few butterfly closers and gently placed them on her hand, closing the wound. His one hand held hers steady and the he smoothed the butterfly closers onto her skin gently with the other. Despite the reason for his touch, she shivered. His rough fingertips moving over her skin felt like they were tickling or teasing her. She gasped suddenly and he turned to look at her.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to hurt you."

"S'ok. You didn't."

"I think you should keep this hand covered until it starts to heal." Jack reached for the remainder of the gauze when Sam stopped him

"Sir, don't use that."

"Why not?"

"I may need it for you. I've got gloves. I'll cover the one hand with one of them."

Jack shrugged in response and Sam suddenly felt cold as he moved away towards her pack. She shook her head, trying to get rid of the nonsense now flying around in there. He returned with her gloves and she took her knife and cut the fingers off. Jack turned and made to stand up, but she grabbed the hem of his shirt and prevented him.

"Your turn."

"Carter."

"Sir."

"How's the hand feeling?"

"Fine Sir. If you doubt my ability to check your wounds, I can always ask Teal'c or Daniel."

"Just get on with it Carter."

Jack sat down and pulled his shirt up. Sam carefully peeled the tape back and pulled the gauze off. She wiped down his back, taking care around the wounds, making sure everything was clean. She was concerned because they hadn't changed the gauze for a day or so, and only had enough for this last change. The last thing they needed was for Jack to get sick again as this time, they might not have the resources to help him. After placing the new gauze on his back, he pulled his shirt back down and they joined Daniel and Teal'c for dinner. They sat in silence and hoped the eruption would end soon.

* * *

Sam woke and could barely see. Assuming it was still dark outside, she joined Teal'c and the entrance of the caves. She looked out in shock. The ash was still falling, and falling thickly. She could hear the rumbling of the volcano and was surprised she hadn't really noticed it before. Asking Teal'c, she found out that it'd been doing that all night, meaning the eruption hadn't stopped yet. They spent that day and the two following in the caves watching and waiting for the eruption to end. Rationing the water and food, they still had enough for several days, but their wood supply was getting low.

Eventually, as Daniel placed the last log onto the fire, Jack decided he would go out and scrounge up as much as possible. Carter and Teal'c immediately volunteered to help him and he reluctantly accepted. Daniel stayed where he was. He had been coughing violently for several hours and there was no way he was going to be allowed outside. Not that he'd be much use. The slightest amount of exertion caused him to start coughing and he had a difficult time subsiding the attacks. Sam guessed it had been the night he had slept with his mouth uncovered almost a week previous. Daniel suspected it was the time he'd spent on watch, without the confining piece of material over his face. It had irritated him and he had thought that an hour without it wouldn't hurt. Now he wished he hadn't.

Trying not to disturb the inches of ash on the ground when moving logs was difficult. Every time she moved anything, a cloud of ash rose up to her face. She turned in the direction of the Colonel and Teal'c only to see a dense fog surrounding the area. She called out, her voice muffled by the mask, and received no response. Disoriented, she tried to find her way back, thinking she hadn't gone that far. Not being able to see her own footsteps and follow them back she quickly became very confused and started to feel panic rise. She forced herself to remain calm, taking care with every step she took, as she didn't know where the edge of the cliff would be. She kept calling out for Teal'c and the Colonel but heard no response. Eventually she gave up and it was getting very dark. She sat down and prepared to wait for the morning to come.


	29. Chapter 29

"Teal'c!"

He got no response.

"TEAL'C"

"O'NEILL"

Jack followed the sound of Teal'c's voice through the fog. They kept shouting at each other until Jack could see Teal'c's outline.

"Hey. It's bad out here. I think we've got enough for the next day or so. Let's head back."

"Where is Major Carter?"

"I thought she went back."

"Back to the caves?"

"Yeah, I passed her earlier and she mentioned something about going back."

"I did not see her."

"Shit. CARTER!"

"O'Neill, if she has returned to the cave, perhaps we will meet her there."

"Yeah, you're right. Let's go."

They made their way cautiously back towards the caves. Jack was glad that Teal'c seemed to know where he was going, as the thick ash and the cloud that surrounded them prevented him from telling him where he was. At the caves Daniel was trying to move the logs back into the cave.

"Danny. What are you doing?"

"Helping."

"Get back in before you start hacking up a lung or two."

"Yes Jack."

"Why isn't Carter helping?"

"Sam?"

"Did Major Carter not return?"

"No. She left with you but hasn't retu..." Daniel was interrupted by the urge to cough. Jack moved over to him and patted him on the back, none too gently.

"So she's still out there?"

"Indeed."

"We gotta go look for her."

"Jack. Look at yourself! The only thing that isn't covered in grey are the whites of your eyes!"

Jack turned to Teal'c and then looked down at himself. His green fatigues had a coat of ash on them, and Teal'c's face looked very unusual, his mark as first prime standing out against his very pale face.

"So what do you suggest Daniel? That we leave her out there all night?"

"Do you have a better solution? It's dark and you can't see more than a foot in front of you."

"I'm going to look for her. Teal'c, you coming?"

"O'Neill, we will require flashlights, and the radios."

"Just thinkin that." Jack grabbed the radios and tossed one to Teal'c.

"I suggest that we leave a radio with Daniel Jackson, and stay together as we search."

"Sure Teal'c. Danny, contact us if she returns."

Teal'c and Jack left the cave with their packs. Jack had packed several water bottles, some of the food that didn't need heating, and what was left of their first aid supplies. They climbed up the slope and Teal'c attempted to find any trace of her footprints. Jack could barely see their footprints from less than an hour ago. They discussed her possible path and headed off towards the left, into the trees. There they found a trail of sorts. As the ash hadn't fallen as thickly in the densely treed area, Teal'c could see traces of footsteps and Jack saw several broken branches. They followed the trail towards the edge of the cliffs.

* * *

Sam had been thinking while she had been sitting. Her flashlight was dead and she had no water left. Trying desperately to figure out where she was she closed her eyes and thought back to their other trips up here. Had she seen anything recognizable? She could hear the still rumbling volcano, but there was another sound, very quiet, underneath. The ocean! She could hear the waves, thickened by the ash, slapping the shore. Pulling her mind together, she realised that if she could get to the edge of the shore, she could follow it towards the cave. The tide would be starting to come in, but the tides weren't too deep here fortunately, and she exhaled in relief. She knew she was higher than the shore and didn't want to walk off the side of a cliff, so she crawled towards where the edge would be. Once she found the edge, she backed up a few feet and continued to crawl alongside it. She felt a sudden drop and immediately grabbed for anything she could, as the ground below her fell away.

* * *

Jack and Teal'c followed her tracks until the trees ended and the footsteps became lost in the ash. 

"Where now Teal'c?"

"I am unsure. I believe that Major Carter spent some time resting here. Perhaps she.."

Teal'c silenced as Jack made a shushing noise. They could hear a sound like an avalanche and Jack headed towards it as quick as he could. He spotted the crumbling edge of the cliff and dropped to his stomach.

"CARTER!"

"MAJOR CARTER"

"Jack." Her voice was faint and Jack crawled towards it. Suddenly he could see a pair of hands scrambling to hold onto the cliff edge.

"Teal'c, grab my ankles."

"Sir!"

"I'm coming Sam. Hang on for as long as you can."

Jack crawled along the still crumbling ground towards her hands. Teal'c held his ankles as he grabbed her wrists.

"Kay, T. Pull."

Teal'c pulled on Jack as Jack held on firmly to Sam pulling her up. Once on ground, Sam and Jack crawled away from the edge. Sam laid down and closed her eyes. She had been hanging there for longer than she cared to imagine, knowing that if she let go, there wasn't a good chance of survival. Teal'c opened his pack and rummaged for some food and water while Jack checked Sam for any more injuries.

"Sam, you injured?"

"I don't think so Sir."

"Lets get back to the cave. I can't see properly here."

"Major Carter, why did you not climb back up?"

"I couldn't. Every time I moved my hands, more of the ground would fall. It was all I could do just to stay where I was."

Jack hauled Sam up and she took water gladly from Teal'c. She pulled the material back up over her face, as it had slipped when she first fell. The walk back was slow as Teal'c didn't want to get them lost again. When they were near the cave Jack pointed out several glowing blurs in the distance. They walked towards them and Sam realised that Daniel must've lit fires to guide them home.

"Sam."

"Hi Daniel."

"Where've you been?"

"I got lost. Damn fog. Couldn't find my way back."

"Great idea with the fires Danny."

"Thanks Jack. Couldn't sit here and do nothing. Got some water heating up so you guys can clean up a little."

All three crowded round so they could get the fine powder off their hands and faces. Jack tried to bang some of the grey off his pants but just created a large cloud of ash inside the cave. They changed clothes and sat around the fire as there wasn't much else to do.

* * *

The next few days followed a similar and mundane routine. The volcano continued to spew ash into the air, covering everything with more than a foot of ash. Tempers got short as the time they were confined grew longer. Teal'c and Jack had to leave two days after to get water. They had been caught in a rock slide on the way back, and Teal'c had been knocked out. When the two returned to the caves, Teal'c had a cut on his head, with ash sticking to the blood. He had complained of a headache and went to sleep. Sam hadn't been too concerned. Even without his symbiote, Teal'c was quite resilient. She was concerned about the amount of tretonin that he had left. He had been rationing himself for several days and was down to less than one vial. He would not be able to survive much longer. Daniel was another concern. He had been coughing for just under a week, and she could see the pain he was going through. She had asked him about it, but he had said he was fine, it was getting better. 

Daniel was in considerable pain. He tried not to cough as it felt like he broke a rib every time he did. The worse thing was that it was painful to breathe. It felt like someone was stabbing him with every intake of air. He slept as much as he could, as it didn't bother him as much, just woke him up every hour or so. He looked over at Sam. The swelling around her ankle had gone down, but he could still see a slight limp when she first stood up every day. Her hand was healing slowly and she kept the glove on but she had started coughing the morning after she had got lost. Daniel knew what was going to happen to her. The same thing that was happening to him.

Jack's back had stopped healing. If anything it looked like it was becoming infected again. The lack of clean gauze and any clean material to make a bandage of sorts had caused the skin to go hard and start cracking again. Daniel guessed at most, a week, before Jack returned to the way he had been before they had used the paste on him. Other than that, Jack was being his usual self. He hated being confined, but after the last jaunt, had seen Sam's point. It was too dangerous out there right now. The thick layer of ash in the air blocked out most of the light, and once they were in the forest, it was like being there at dusk all day long. He was restless and spent most of his time sitting at the mouth of the cave, watching for anything that could create a distraction.

Daniel had taken some of the charcoal from the fire pit and was in the process of filling the cave walls with descriptions of this planet and anything of use for the next person or being to come here. He was not optimistic. Running out of food and water, with no conceivable way home, he was expecting to die here. The least he could do is leave something behind to state who they were, what they had been doing, and what had happened to them. Leaving that in several languages took time and most of the walls of the cave.

Jack had inquired what he had been doing, which sparked another argument. Somehow, Teal'c had calmed him down. Sam had taken to doing calculations with charcoal on one of the walls, trying to figure out, based on the limited information she had, how much longer the eruption would go on, how long they had left, and how to get the gate out of the hole it was in. Her laptop battery had died not long after the eruption started and she had no way to charge it, so she had substituted. Writing on a cave wall, then using the murky water from the ocean to clean it off and start anew. Teal'c, in his weak state, spent most of his time meditating, and keeping Jack from blowing up too often. Daniel lost count of how many days they were overdue to return and assumed that had the SGC had any way to come and get them, they would've by now. Besides, if a ship arrived now, the likelihood of them being seen, even on sensors, through this ash, were probably slim to none.

* * *

Teal'c slipped into a coma as his tretonin supply ran out. They had eaten the last of their food from Earth the day before, and only had several ears of corn left. Water was running very low and the corn was roasted, giving it a dry and overcooked taste. Sam's energy was spent trying not to cough and avoid intense pain to shoot around her ribcage and through her muscles. Jack stayed by the mouth of the cave, waiting and watching, and Daniel spent most of his time sleeping, or trying to. Fed up of lying down, she walked over to where Jack was sitting and sat down next to him. He turned and looked at her, startled at the contrast of her bright blue eyes against her pale, tired and ash covered face. He knew the odds where stacked against them right now but had no solution to the problem. Knowing Carter, she would feel that she was missing something, but he knew that she had done all she could. The only thing left was to wait for the eruption to end and try to dig out the gate. If they could last that long. She put her head on his shoulder and he tried not to jump at the sudden contact. Slowly and carefully, so as not to startle her, he placed and arm around her shoulder. She shifted slightly and he relished in the contact. They sat there, together, silent, watching, waiting for whatever would happen next, eventually dozing off. 


	30. Chapter 30

Jack opened his eyes. All he could see were brightly coloured spots so he closed them again. He rolled onto his side and fell off what ever he had been lying on. He was now on a smooth flat surface, still with no vision. He sat up slowly and grabbed onto the closest thing around. Getting a firm grasp, he hauled himself up, and smashed his head. His hands shot to his head, and he fell back onto the floor. He figured it best to stay where he was for a few minutes to allow his head to stop swimming and for his vision to come back.

Was he dead? He tried to remember what had happened. He grinned as he remembered Sam falling asleep on his shoulder, his arm around her. Teal'c was barely alive and Daniel wasn't doing much better. Another vent had opened and the two volcanoes pumped out more ash and noxious gasses than he could ever imagine possible. It hadn't been long before the cave filled with air that wasn't breathable. Sam had passed out first and he didn't remember how long it had been before he followed her into oblivion.

The question currently occupying his mind was the rest of his team. Where where they? If he was dead, he had kinda hoped for other people to be around. Plus, if this was the afterlife, he didn't think he'd be in that much pain. His vision was returning, a little blurry, but he could see the basic outline of what he was curled up under. It looked like a kind of bed, with no blankets or sheets. He grabbed onto the edge again and pulled himself up again, this time without injuring himself. He held on shakily, willing his legs to keep him upright. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something flesh coloured move. Turning quickly his knees gave out and he made a mad grab at the bed.

"O'Neill."

"Thor?"

"Yes. I apologize that I could not be here sooner."

"Where's the rest of my team?"

"Resting, as you should be."

"I want to see them."

"You are unable to stand. When you are ready I will lead you to them."

"Are they ok?"

"They will survive."

"How?"

"We received a message from the Stargate Command regarding the inability to contact you. We departed as soon as we could."

"Well ya made it in the nick of time."

"As I see. You must rest now. I will return for you when you are ready."

"C'mon Thor, buddy. I'm good. I just want to see for myself that they..." Jacks grip on the bed failed and once again, he went crashing to the floor.

"As I said, I will return."

Jack stayed where he was, sitting on the cold floor and waited for his vision to return a little more. He couldn't rest without being able to check that everyone was ok. He didn't think that Thor would lie to him, but he would believe it better when he saw it with his own eyes. He blinked several times as his sight returned and looked around. He was in a small room, with only the table like bed in it. The doorway was closed, but Jack knew how to open it, which he did. He felt a cool blast of air and realised he was only wearing a pair of pants. His pants, but they were clean. He searched and found his shirt, also clean, stored under the table. Putting it on, he walked cautiously out of the doorway. Unsure of where to go, and knowing that the Asgard ships were huge mazes, he decided to take all rights, hoping that if he got lost, he would end up at the same spot he started at. He slipped down the hallway as silently as he could, checking inside all the rooms he could find.

He had been wandering around for a while and his initial plan hadn't worked. All these hallways looked the same and he had no idea of where his room was or where he was going. He had seen a few Asgard walking down the halls but they merely greeted him and continued on their way. He didn't want to ask for directions, in case they sent him back to rest some more. Frustrated, he started down another hallway, opening doors as he went. The door opened to reveal a room similar to the one he had been in. He stepped in and saw a human, with blond hair protruding out of a white blanket. He placed one of his cold hands on her warm forehead and she opened her eyes.

"Jack."

"Hey."

"Where are we?" He had to bend down to her to hear her words.

"Shh.. We're in an Asgard ship. Thor's here."

"Others?"

"Daniel and Teal'c are fine."

"You?"

"Good."

Sam tried to sit up on her own, but was too weak to do so. As her arms collapsed under her, Jack put his arm under her back and helped her. She looked around and shrugged the blanket off. She pulled at her t-shirt in puzzlement.

"I dunno. Mine were clean too. Maybe Thor did the laundry."

She smiled at him and swung her legs around. Jack grabbed her waist and helped her stand. She, like he had been, was very shaky on her legs. Once she had her bearings, he let go, and she began to walk slowly towards the door.

"Where are you going?"

"With you."

Jack thought about arguing, but didn't. Carter would probably be able to find her way to Daniel and Teal'c quicker than he could by himself. She sluggishly staggered towards the door, making her intentions clear. Jack followed behind her in case she tried to make an unscheduled landing. In no time they located Daniel. Sam crept into his room.

"Daniel."

"Is he sleeping?"

"I don't know Sir."

"He's not snoring for once."

"Daniel doesn't snore all the time."

"Yeah, only when I share a tent with him... Daniel." Impatient Jack poked Daniel, trying to wake him up.

"Major Carter, Colonel O'Neill."

"Whoa."

"Hello." Sam spun around at the voice.

"Thor, don't sneak up on me like that."

"I did not intent to startle you O'Neill. I wished to inform you that Teal'c is awaiting your arrival."

"What about Daniel?"

"He required more treatment and therefore needs more rest. He will not wake for several of your hours."

"He's ok though, right?"

"Yes Major Carter."

"I told you Carter."

"Yes Sir."

"Thor, lead the way."

Jack and Sam followed Thor through the labyrinth of hallways onto an observation deck. Standing in front of a holographic image of Bra'tac's face was Teal'c.

"I will see you shortly, Teal'c."

"Teal'c what's going on?"

"We must return to our galaxy as soon as possible. Master Bra'tac will return you to Earth." Thor spoke before Teal'c had a chance to answer and exited the room.

"Well, home soon?"

"It will take us several days to return to the base."

"Ah. How you doing Teal'c?"

"I am well O'Neill. How are you two feeling?"

"A little shaky on the old legs, but I'll be running around in no time."

"I'm much better too Teal'c."

"Could use some food though."

"Uh, Sir. Not sure if we want to eat their food. It's not what we're used to."

"The Asgard have several different varieties of food on board that we are able to eat Major Carter."

"How long have you been up?"

"I rose shortly after you O'Neill."

"Why didn't you come get me?"

"I attempted to do so, but when we arrived, you had vacated your room early."

"Uh, yeah. I needed to stretch my legs a little."

Sam and Jack followed Teal'c towards the promise of food, a light banter continuing between them.

* * *

Bra'tac showed up just after Daniel woke up. Jack grabbed some of the food they hadn't eaten and followed the Asgard guide to where Bra'tac was docked. Daniel was already sitting in a seat on the Tel'tac and Sam ran forward to give him a hug. Teal'c patted him on the back and once Sam had finished, Jack pulled him up to give him a hug too. 

"Danny boy. Good to see ya."

"Yeah, you too Jack. Is that food?"

"Yes. Would you like some?"

Sam snatched the food out of his hand and passed it to Daniel, who eagerly started eating. They bade their farewells to Thor and Bra'tac steered the ship away, towards Earth.

"Whdonwejstlnd..."

"Daniel... it won't run away. Finish eating."

"Funny Jack. Why don't we just land on a planet with a gate and just gate home?"

"The SGC would've locked our iris codes out a while ago. Bra'tac, why did you come for us and why can't we use your GDO?" Sam was her curious self again.

"I was contacted by Jacob Carter to come assist you in your journey back to Earth and my device was given to another Jaffa at the request of General Hammond before I was dispatched to retrieve you."

"You talked to my Dad?"

"Yes, only briefly. The Tok'ra relayed a message from General Hammond for him to contact the Asgard. He was unable to come get you, and I was asked."

"Why couldn't the Asgard take us home?" Daniel had finished eating by now and was yawning.

"Thor left his galaxy to render us assistance. He must return as fast as possible."

"How did he know where we were?"

"I do not know. I only received a message with the co-ordinates from the Tok'ra."

"Daniel, you tired?" Daniel looked like he was going to fall asleep where he sat. Not a comfortable position either, thought Jack.

"O'Neill, the Asgard provided you with supplies for sleeping. They are in the ring room."

"Thanks Bra'tac."

Jack found several blankets, several different types and sizes of clothing, and something that passed for pillows. He laid them out, tossing the clothing aside, then went to get Daniel, already falling asleep again. He half carried, half dragged Daniel towards the makeshift bed, and laid him down gently.

"He asleep Sir?"

"Yeah." Jack attempted to suppress his own yawn as Carter grinned at him.

"Your turn?"

"Maybe. Looks like it's contagious." Carter made no attempt to cover her yawn as he spoke.

"Teal'c?"

"I do not require rest at this moment. I may join you later."

Sam followed Jack and spotted the clothes for the first time. She picked up something that resembled a shirt, and held it up for Jack to see.

"I'm not wearing that."

"I'm not saying anything."

"Where did Thor get this stuff?"

"They must've stopped off somewhere and picked up supplies for us, on their way to rescue us."

"Glad they did. We needed the food!"

Sam, feeling cold, pulled on one of the shirts and laid down. She pulled the blanket over her, pulled her pillow into position and prepared to fall asleep. She could hear Jack doing the same beside her and grinned as he cursed at the small snore emitting from Daniel. She poked Daniel to get him to roll over and waited. The room was dimly lit and light spilled in from the rest of the ship. Sam could clearly make out the expression on the Colonel's face as she peered at him through half open eyes. As his eyes started to close, she brought up her question, almost whispering.

"Sir."

"What."

"ummm."

"Spit it out Carter, I'm trying to sleep."

"Never mind."

"Ok."

Damn, she hadn't thought he was grumpy. She heard him sigh.

"You can't keep me waiting all night Carter. What is it."

"I'm holding you to our deal."

"What deal?"

"The one you made with me on the planet."

"The deal where you come fishing with me?"

"No, Sir. The other one." She knew he was stalling, but she wasn't letting it go this time. They needed to figure all this out before getting home.

"Oh, that one."

"Yes. You said that you'd tell me what was..."

"I know what I said Carter."

He didn't sound as angry as he had been before, more exhausted and exasperated. She had been hoping for this. He might give up whatever was bothering him easier, and if he stayed relatively calm, everyone else didn't have to get involved. Everyone standing around, waiting for an explanation, was the worst way to deal with Jack O'Neill. She wanted to be a concerned friend, not a nosy co-worker. She propped her head up on her arm and looked at his face. His eyes were open and his arms were behind his head. To someone who didn't know him, he would seem relaxed. She knew better. She could see his muscles in his arms and face tense.

"Yes Sir."

"I meant it. It has nothing to do with you."

"That's when it started. I overheard you in the infirmary talking to Daniel."

"Ah. I'm sorry for that Carter. I was not having a good visit with the lovely Doc Frasier. Daniel did defend you and I apologized then, but I guess you didn't hear that part."

Sam blushed and waited patiently for him to continue. She would only prod him if he started to fall asleep or avoid the topic any further.

"It's been going on for a while."

"What has?"

"Daniel told you that I had a meeting with Hammond and Janet."

"Yes."

"Remember on that planet, when we were running away from the locals with the weird zat guns?"

"Yes."

"I landed on my knees."

"Ok." Sam was unsure where this was going.

"I was late for the briefing. Kept in the infirmary. You remember?"

"Yes."

"Well, it wasn't good news."

Jack was stalling. He didn't want to say anything, but he knew that eventually he would have to. If he just told Carter, telling Daniel and Teal'c when they woke up would be easier. He would much rather do it here than at the base, and the news was going to get out anyways, eventually. He would rather his team hear it from him. He stayed lying on his back, staring at the ceiling, not wanting to look at her face.

"My knees are pretty much shot."

"Haven't they told you that every year?"

"This time it's different. My option is retirement, or a surgery and a desk job."

"Well that's not too bad."

"The surgery won't save my knees. Just stop them from getting much worse. Hopefully."

"So what are you saying?"

"It won't be long before I can't go off world with you guys anymore."

"You're not going to try the surgery?"

"I haven't decided. Right now the odds with me getting the surgery and staying on the team aren't so good."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know Carter. Retire. Again." She could hear tones of anger in his voice.

"Why not take a different job around the base?"

"And do what? Sit on my ass all day?"

"It can't be that bad." Even as she said it, she knew the SGC would never be able to handle Colonel Jack O'Neill working at a desk all day.

"No Carter. I'd go insane."

"So that's the cause of the bad mood, or is there more?" He hesitated again.

"It's just, I dunno Carter. It's hard to explain."

"Try me."

"Fine. Just gimme a sec."

"Sir, what would happen to the team if you retired?"

"I don't think they'd disband you. Probably find a replacement."

"For you? They could never replace.." She almost clapped her hand over her mouth as she hadn't meant for that statement to come out like that.

"Thanks Carter. I don't know what they'd do. I don't want you guys to get split up but who knows what could happen."

Jack paused gathering his thoughts before he spoke again.

"Ok. For the past, what, 7 years, we've been working together as a team. I don't want to lose that. If I retire, I'll get bored real quick, sitting at home, wondering what is happening, and if you guys are ok. If I take the desk job, as I said, I'd go crazy. I can't keep going on, taking missions where we are in hazardous situations. I can't risk you guys getting stuck, captured, or killed coz I can't run."

It came out slowly at first, then as if he was relieved to be talking about it, as a rush of words towards the end. Sam was surprised. Usually the Colonel didn't allow his personal feelings to get involved while he was on duty. His past behaviour had led her to believe that whatever was wrong was much more serious than this.

"Is that what you and Hammond were discussing?"

"We were discussing my options, as he put it."

"And it's been bothering you all this time?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell us earlier?"

"Because at some point, Carter, you're going to have to deal with this stuff without me."

"That's why you distanced yourself?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I just thought it'd be better that way."

"Better? Getting pissy at us, being rude and obnoxious to us, making our lives difficult. You call that better?"

Sam couldn't help herself. She didn't see why he had been such an ass to all of them. It could've been easily avoided if he'd just talked to them. She got up, now wide awake, and stalked off to join Teal'c.

"Jack?"

"Daniel. I thought you were sleeping."

"How can I when you and Sam are hissing loudly at each other."

"You heard?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"Would you consider retiring? You joke about it, going fishing, staying at your cabin, no more work."

"I think it'd be nice at first, but I know I'll get bored."

"Between desk job and retirement... which one."

"Depends."

"On what?"

"On whom."

"Fine then, on whom?"

"Go to sleep Daniel."

"Yes Jack." Daniel grinned to himself and rolled over towards the wall. He had an idea of who Jack was referring to.

* * *

"Is all well Major Carter?" 

"I just talked to the Colonel."

"Did he disclose the reason for his foul temperament?"

"I think he tried to. It just doesn't seem like him to act like that."

"Like what?"

Sam repeated the conversation as best she could remember. Teal'c listened with great attention while Bra'tac stared stoically ahead, trying to avoid the conversation. When she was done she waited as Teal'c thought over what she said.

"I believe there is more to this than O'Neill is saying."

"Where do you see that?"

"O'Neill has spent most of his life as a warrior. It will be difficult for him to change that."

"He did it before."

"But it did not work out well for him. He returned. This time, there will be no returning."

"He's always going on about what he'll do when he retires. We all know exactly were to find him. Up at his cabin, fishing, with a dog by his side."

"O'Neill would like us to believe that he would be content. I do not think this would be the case. He will become bored without distraction."

"He won't take the desk job."

"So he is left to choose between to situations he does not like."

"The lesser of two evils."

"Indeed."

"But why was he so grouchy about it?"

"O'Neill does not like to be forced into a decision, and I do not think that this is the complete cause of his distemper."

"What do you think he'll do?"

"I can not predict the unpredictable."

"Not even a guess?"

"There are several factors that I do not believe O'Neill has considered yet."

"Like what?"

"When he realises them, we will know."

"C'mon Teal'c."

Teal'c smiled, bowed his head and turned to Bra'tac. They started discussing recent events that Teal'c had missed. Sam stayed until she started yawning, then left for some rest after realising that Teal'c was not going to continue the conversation. She crept silently towards her bed, not wishing to wake Daniel or the Colonel. In no time she was sleeping.

* * *

Bra'tac landed the Tel'tac in an open field next to the SGC, using the cloak. SGC personnel were awaiting the team's arrival and quickly escorted them to the base with an armed guard. They were escorted directly to the infirmary where Dr. Frasier immediately ordered a barrage of tests. Due to the time spent on the planet, out of contact with the SGC, they were placed in quarantine with guards at the door. The team was kept in the room for several hours while waiting for the results and undergoing more tests. They were questioned about what happened to them to better understand what kind of medical treatment, if any, they required. They sat in silence, only speaking when asked a direct question, on their beds waiting for Janet to return. As the door opened, all heads whipped around to see the petite woman enter, the click of her shoes the only sound in the room. 

"Well, you are SG-1."

"We could've told you that Doc. Wait, I did, several times." Jack's infirmary manners were back full force.

"Other than lots of rest, good food, and a shower, most of you will be discharged today."

"Most of us?" Daniel was picking up Jack's attitude.

"Yes. Teal'c, you are free to go."

"C'mon Doc. Why can't I go?" Janet still ignored the Colonel's whining.

"The Asgard were able to help reverse the damage to all of your lungs, but not the wounds on your skin. Sam, I want to get an X-ray of that ankle, and I need to take a closer look at the wound on your hand. I also want to get a CAT scan to make sure there isn't any damage caused by the fall you had. Daniel, you too. That wound on the side of your head seems to be healing, but I want to make sure. Colonel O'Neill, I would like to take another look at your back. It seems to have healed to a certain point, but has stopped for some reason. Any questions?"

Jack opened his mouth immediately, but Janet swept away without even glancing at him. As she exited, her final comment drifted to the three remaining.

"There's spare clothes for you waiting at the showers."

"Damn woman."

"Sir, she's just doing her job."

"I know Carter. I'm going for a shower."

* * *

It was the next morning before they saw General Hammond. Jack and Sam had spent the night in the infirmary, whereas Daniel had been taken care of first, and released. He had practically skipped down the hallway in relief. Janet released them the following day after a good nights rest, antibiotics, and Jack complaining about the gauze and tape now covering his back. Sam had gone straight to her lab and Jack had gone to find Teal'c. An airman had visited all of them that morning and passes the message along that the General wanted them to be ready for a briefing at 1400. Sam had charged her laptop the night before and was trying to get all the information from the mission together and write her report. Eventually as the clock neared 1400, Sam gave up and grabbed what she had, running for the briefing room. She arrived just after Daniel dashed through the door. Jack and Teal'c were already sitting, waiting for them. 

"Major Carter, Dr. Jackson. It's good to see you home and well."

"Thank you Sir."

"Now I know this is going to be a long briefing and I don't expect all the information today. This briefing is to figure out what information you have and what you're missing."

"Sir, how many days were we gone?"

"Today is the twenty fourth day since you left for P2K 458. You were gone for twenty three of our days."

"That's thirty one days on Tef'shu!" Sam was shocked. She hadn't realised it had been that long.

"Yes. When you missed the check in time, we attempted to contact you, but could not get the gate to connect. We continued to try for several days while trying to contact any of our allies able to assist you. Eventually we got hold of the Asgard and informed them of out dilema. We could not speak to Thor and were told he was unavailable, so we left a message, so to speak, for him to contact us. When he did eventually, he had just recieved a message from you to another Asgard. At that time, we had already contacted the Tok'ra and Jaffa and informed them of the situation. When we contacted Thor to tell him that Bra'tac was on his way, Thor agreed to rescue you, wait for Bra'tac, then he had to return to his home galaxy."

General Hammond started the informal briefing and listened to everyone try to figure out where their thirty one days had gone. He could sense less tension within the team and heaved an inward sigh of relief. The mission had not been the nice easy stroll in the park that he had planned but it had served it's purpose to some extent. They had recovered some potentially valuble technology and the team seemed to be working as one again.

The briefing over, Hammond dismissed everyone except the Colonel. Calling him into his office, he needed to hear a decision from him.

"Jack. I know this is bad timing, but had you been on Earth I would've required a decision from you several days ago."

"Yeah, I was thinking about it."

"And?"

"Well Sir, you know me. If I don't keep busy, I'll get into trouble."

"So you're staying?"

"Yes."

"In what capacity?"

"I want to stay with SG-1 until I can't do it anymore."

"You must pass your annual fitness test before I can confirm your continuation on the team."

"Yeah, no sweat."

"Good. I'll inform Mackensie not to expect you."

"He was?"

"Jack, I thought after our last meeting, you were going to pick retirement regardless of the consequenses."

"You planned that?"

"Actually, it was suggested that personnel who choose to leave after being off world undergo psyciatric treatment to ensure that they wouldn't be posing a risk to themselves or the general population."

"Is the SGC going for that?"

"I was going to push it through if you chose retirement. Try to keep you here."

"Thanks General."

"Have you talked to your team?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Good."

"Ok. Dismissed?"

"Yes. Oh, and Jack?"

"Yes?"

"Good luck son."

Jack left the office content, a huge weight lifted off his shoulders. He wanted to go find his team and let them know, toghether, how sorry he was. He knew he had been an ass. Who knew that knees could cause all those problems. It had started out innocently enough, with Doc Frasier suggesting he take it easy in between missions. Then he was in pain most of the time, especially after long hikes, running or walking with a heavy object. He had tried to hide it, making him grumpy, and at night when his knees locked up during the night, he had gotten less and less sleep. When Doc Frasier, General Hammond and him had sat down to discuss his 'future' he had almost lost it. He couldn't imagine his life any different than it was now. They didn't think he could pass his next physical and wanted him to consider some options. He refused to ride a desk for the rest of his career and had threatened retirement. When the General had brought up the fact that he would have to go through psyciatric evaluations before he could retire, he had almost blown a gasket. Retiring was supposed to be easy! One letter and he would be gone. He had used the time before the mission to run through pro and con lists in his head of the benefits of staying with the SGC versus retiring. He grinned as he headed towards Carter's lab. There had been one major reason that he had considered as he thought about retirement. As he swept into her lab, she sent him a smile that lit up the room. Nah, he thought, for right now, this was good. He could wait for whatever retirement would bring.

_AN: So ends my first attempt at writing fanfic. I hope this story was enjoyable and I really appreciate every one who took the time to review. Please let me know what you think as any constructive criticism will only help me get better! Thank you once again._

_Edited on August 14th 2007_


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